What deepening roots and releasing leaves teach us about steadiness in uncertain times
I loved the simplicity of the new Apple CEO’s introduction last week. Hello. It felt simple and human, a refreshing change from the complex and very inhuman news cycle of this week.
Namely the extremely worrying announcement from a top safety researcher at Anthropic, who warned “there was a greater than 10% chance it could “kill all humans” within a decade.
What on earth does one do with that information?
Initially, I went down a rabbit hole of research and spent too long reading articles and the responses to this announcement.
I came up for air and thought, this is not helpful.
What may or may not happen in this dizzying AI race, is not within my control. What is, is my ability to regulate and respond in the way that is hopefully more helpful to you.
“Uncertainty” is the main word I hear from my conversations. We know intellectually that nothing is ever certain, yet as human beings we crave certainty and control in everything we do.
We live in a world which is perhaps the most uncertain and unpredictable we have ever experienced. Demanding us to adapt but at a pace which has felt, well, uncontrollable.
“Ineradicable uncertainty remains inherent to human life; Hannah Arendt called it the defining characteristic of the future.” ~ Dr Mararet Heffernan, Entrepreneur and CEO.
So how do we navigate this unprecedented uncertainty?
If you’ve found yourself, like I did, overwhelmed by the news this week; I hope you find some grounding in the following observations I continue to learn from nature.
Rewilding our minds
The more I learn, the more I realise ‘curiosity and connection’ are powerful antidotes to uncertainty.
In particular when we are outside in nature. Research has shown significant benefits of how being in nature can improve our physical and mental well-being.
Personally, I have always found solace amongst the trees.
If you take the time to slow down and meander amongst them instead of rushing, there is a sense of peace and connection that you feel viscerally.
In a recent meandering, I took the time to look more closely at the bark, the small shoots on the branches, the different colours of the leaves. Details I would never have noticed before.
A snippet from a recent podcast on Uncertainty, Dr Margaret Heffernan shares: “Notice your noticing.”
Glance at this photo, then look more carefully. What did you miss the first time?
There was a steadiness to the trunk of the tree, while in parallel a gentle release of leaves. Paying attention to this great species made me reflect on the requirements for change we often overlook in the midst of uncertain times.
“Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.” – Simone Weil
Uncertainty as growth
Capacity to keep going in the unknown
Trees don’t know if this winter will be harder than the last, or if the next storm is the one that takes them down. They continue to root more deeply, to shoot for the light which sustains them, and release what they no longer need.
Slow down enough to notice, listen and ask questions
- What are your roots: what has held you steady this year?
- What are your shoots: what are you creating, even without knowing if it’s the right call?
- What do you need to release: what could you let go of, to make space for what’s next?
“Change grows from the bottom up, like a tree.” – Gloria Steinem
Empowerment through connection
No tree does this alone. Trees communicate, they connect, they are a community who supports and takes care of one another.
Those who navigate uncertainty best aren’t the ones who go it alone – they’re the ones who stay connected, and who help others do the same.
For those leading through this moment, our job isn’t to hand our teams a certainty we don’t have.
It’s to help build the steadiness, safety and connection that lets people keep growing even while the ground keeps shifting.
“Let yourself be changed by the forests, just listen, walk slowly, ask questions and find what inspires you to take action and feel that connection to the land and to yourself.” – Alejandra Hart (Writer & Woodlands Trust Communications Officer)
