How to Navigate a Turbulent World: 5 Practical Principles

In today's tumultuous world, we are constantly bombarded with news of global crises, political divisions, and hateful rhetoric. This relentless exposure can lead to feelings of anxiety, frustration, and despair. Many of us find ourselves trapped in a cycle of outrage and resignation, feeling powerless to make a difference. However, there is a better way.

Positive Intelligence research suggests five practical principles to help you navigate these turbulent times in a way that both feels better and generates more positive outcomes.

1. Recover Quickly From Outrage, Guilt, or Resignation

Many of us believe that ongoing outrage is necessary to inspire change. While emotions like “righteous anger,” outrage, and guilt are valuable as initial alerts that something needs our attention, their prolonged state is not. Negative emotions are like the pain of touching a hot stove—helpful as an alert, but not something we want to hold onto. You wouldn’t want to keep your hand on the hot stove.

Remaining angry or resigned all day creates a negative ripple effect, adding to the very negativity we wish to combat. While Martin Luther King Jr. expressed outrage at racism, his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech was not primarily an angry attack on the darker side of humanity. It was a hopeful speech, believing in and inspiring the good within us. Positive action is fueled by positive energy.

2. Don’t Hate the Hater

Regardless of which side of the divide you are on, ask yourself: “Do I hate the people on the other side?” Many of us accuse others of propagating hate, ironically harboring hate in our own hearts as we do so. The problem with hating the hater is that it empowers them. Hate begets more hate, even when it feels justified.

This does not mean condoning hateful behavior or becoming vulnerable to it. On the contrary, if you stay enraged, you lose control and become weaker and more easily manipulated. By remaining calm, clear-headed, and focused, you can direct your energy toward finding the best way to counter hateful behavior.

After 27 years in brutal imprisonment, reconciliation, not hate, fueled Nelson Mandela’s ability to transform his nation. 

3. Be Proactive, Not Reactive

Many of us are in a constant state of reaction to the latest news-driven outrage. Consider this: if we learn that 500 children died today in a tragic event, we may spend weeks consumed by outrage, railing against the circumstances that led to it. That reaction feels justified, right? Yet, every single day, 6,000 children die from malnutrition and hunger—numbers not splashed across our news feeds. Are we adequately focused on solving that far greater problem? No, because those faces don’t appear on our screens every day.

Instead of reacting to every headline, manage your news consumption. Ask yourself: how much time do I need to spend on the news to be an informed citizen? Schedule that time, and protect yourself from the constant barrage of negativity. With a clear, informed mind, choose a few causes—among many worthy ones—to focus on, rather than jumping from one outrage to the next.

4. Convert the Negative Into Positive Outcomes

We often judge life’s events narrowly, based on their immediate impact. In reality, every event is just the beginning of a chain of events that could ultimately lead to the opposite outcome. What feels outrageously negative today could be exactly what is needed for an eventual positive transformation.

Consider the Daoist parable of the old farmer and his stallion:

When his stallion wins a competition, his neighbors celebrate, but he replies, "Who knows what is good and what is bad?"

The newly famous stallion is then stolen, and the neighbors mourn, but the farmer repeats, "Who knows what is good and what is bad?"

The stallion later returns, bringing with him a few precious wild mares. “Who knows what is good and what is bad?” the farmer says.

While trying to tame one of these mares, the farmer’s son breaks his leg. Again, the farmer says, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?”

A war breaks out, and his son is spared from conscription because of his injury. “Who knows what is good and what is bad?”

When something “bad” or outrageous happens, trust that it could be the start of a chain of events leading to a positive outcome.

Unlike the farmer in the story, you don’t need to passively wait for negative events to turn positive. You can actively contribute to those chains of events by choosing to react in a way that generates positivity. You get to choose. You get to vote.

5. Trust the Power of Positive Contagion

As in the stallion story, the impact of any action you take can extend far beyond its initial effect, setting off a chain of actions and reactions. You have the power to create a wave of positivity that could lead to significant positive outcomes you may never witness.

Here’s an example of applying these principles:

I wake up to news of a surge in racism against the immigrant community in San Francisco, where I live. I feel outraged. That first moment of outrage is important—if I didn’t feel it, I wouldn’t have a conscience. I take a few deep breaths, release the outrage, and with a calm, clear mind, I ask myself: What do I choose to do about racism against immigrants?

I consider the many causes I care about and ask myself where this issue ranks. If it were my top priority, I might decide to quit my job and dedicate my life to it.

If it were lower on my list, I would choose to peacefully accept that this is an issue I won’t act on, allowing me to focus on other causes. Or, I would look for ongoing opportunities to make a small difference.  For example, I might prioritize going to restaurants run by immigrants who are impacted.

Let’s say it falls somewhere in the middle of my list. I then ask myself what small action I can take to contribute to this cause. I decide to mentor an immigrant child at a school where she faces heightened racism. I show her how, as an immigrant myself, I turned every hardship into the gift of greater resilience. I may not be able to protect all immigrants, but I will do everything I can to protect and inspire one.

Instead of judging my action as insufficient, I choose to embrace the mystery of my contribution’s long-term impact. Perhaps this child, feeling inspired and loved, will pursue her passion for science and someday help end hunger and malnutrition for children. Or maybe she will inspire another immigrant who makes that contribution. Or maybe she will raise a child who does. I will never know. I choose to live in the mystery of the endless waves of positivity my small action sets in motion.

Each of us gets to vote. Every day, through our actions, we cast our votes for the kind of world we want. We trust that our small positive actions could lead to massive, positive outcomes. We do our part and trust in life’s grand mystery unfolding.

Become Part of the Solution

Ask yourself now: What’s one small action I can take to make the world a better place?

Commit to taking that action.

And, as another step, share this message with others to create a wave of positive contagion. You CAN make a difference.