There's a lot happening in the world right now.

Whether it's political uncertainty, economic shifts, changes in technology that feel like they're moving faster than we can keep up with, or personal transitions in our own lives - many of us are feeling it. That sense of everything changing all at once.

The overwhelm of not knowing what's coming next feels palpable.

When I talk with clients, I hear it often: "I'm feeling confused and overwhelmed." "I feel so powerless." "I don't know what to do." "Everything feels out of control."

I get it. I feel it too sometimes.

After 16 years of coaching, I've gathered a lot of tools - different frameworks, exercises, questions to explore. But there's one that I always come back to, both as a coach and as a person navigating my own life.

It's a framework called the Levels of Engagement, developed by Coach & Author, Alan Seale. And specifically, it's one level within that framework - and one question - that has been my anchor through every challenging time.

The Four Levels

Alan Seale describes four levels of how we engage with challenges:

Drama is where we ask "Why is this happening?" or "Why did they do that?" We're caught in the story, often feeling like a victim of circumstances.

Situation is where we jump to problem-solving mode: "How can I fix this and how quickly?" We're action-oriented, but often reactive.

Choice is where we ask: "How do I want to show up through this?"

Opportunity takes us even further: "What might the gift of this be - now or in the future?"

All of these levels might be helpful in different ways and at different times. But the one I return to again and again is Choice.

The Power of "How Do I Want to Show Up?"

Here's why this question is so powerful: it brings us back to what we can actually control.

When the world feels chaotic, when circumstances are genuinely uncertain, when things are happening that we didn't choose and can't change - we can still choose how we show up.

I saw the beauty of this with a former client I'll call Angela.

Angela had worked at her company for 15 years. Then it was acquired by another company. Almost overnight, everything changed. New management came in. People were being let go. The demands on her time increased dramatically. She felt like things were spiraling out of control and she had no idea what to do next.

When we talked, I could hear the overwhelm. She was caught between the Drama level , "Why is this happening?", and the Situation level - feeling like she needed to make a big decision immediately, but not knowing what the right move was.

We came back to this question: "How do I want to show up through this?"

That question shifted everything for Angela. It gave her something she could control when so much else felt chaotic.

She realized she wanted to show up as a leader and a person who acted from her values, not from fear. She wanted to be thoughtful, not reactionary. She wanted to make decisions that were aligned with who she was, even in the midst of all this uncertainty.

The situation didn't magically improve. The chaos at work continued. But Angela had her anchor. Before reacting to each new development, she'd pause and ask herself: "How do I want to show up through this?"

That question guided her through those turbulent months and helped her navigate the changes with intention rather than panic.

Suddenly, she had her power back. Not power over the external situation - that was still messy and uncertain. But power over herself and her response and how she wanted to move forward from where she was.

Why This Matters Now

It can be so easy to get overwhelmed and feel powerless when so much is changing, both in the world and in our personal lives. We can't control most of what's happening around us.

But we can always ask ourselves: How do I want to show up?

Do I want to show up with fear or with courage? With reactivity or with intention? Scattered or grounded? Closed off or open to possibility?

This question doesn't make the hard things go away. But it gives us agency. It reminds us that even in uncertainty, we have choices about who we want to be.

And that's something no external circumstance can take away from us.

Your Turn

The next time you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or powerless, try asking yourself: "How do I want to show up through this?"

Notice what shifts when you focus on what you can control rather than what you can't.

And if you want to go deeper into understanding what matters most to you - which makes answering that question so much clearer - I created this no-cost Mini Course on discovering your values. When you know your values, you have a compass that supports you through any challenge.

Enjoy the exploration!