How to Stay Calm in Crazy Times

I saw a story this past weekend about a guy who had foolishly lost everything—his house, his business, and his entire 401k—betting on NFL football last season. I felt bad about his house and business; I really hope he didn’t have a family that he caused to be homeless.

But when it came to his 401k, my first thought was “lucky SOB.” I’ll bet he’s not worried about what tariffs are doing to his retirement accounts. I say that only half-jokingly because lots of people are pretty freaked out about what’s going on with the stock market. Others are concerned about inflation ramping back up. People looking to buy a home or a new car are worried about what interest rates may or may not do.

It’s a whole lotta chaos everywhere you look, kinda like the world has gone crazy.

Worse yet, it seems like most of the chaos causing “stuff” is self-inflicted.

We won’t get into the good and bad of tariffs and their effects on the world economy. This post is more about avoiding panic, stress, and anxiety in the face of news stories that are all of those things.

Staying calm when everything looks, feels, and kind of is chaotic can be tough. But tough is not impossible; in fact, it’s very doable with some practical strategies.

First, focus on what you can control—your own actions, thoughts, and reactions. The world might be a mess, but you don’t have to let it dictate your thoughts, actions, and attitude. Start by slowing down your breathing: inhale for four seconds, hold for four, exhale for four. The simplicity of that seems weird, but it really does work to calm your nerves.

Next, limit the “noise.” If the chaos is coming from news or social media, get away from it. You don’t need a constant stream of insanity—check in once a day if you must, but don’t drown in it. Replace that with something grounding: walk outside, listen to music, or focus on a task like cooking or fixing something. Physical activity burns off worry and stress, so even pacing around your room can help.

Your mind will try to spiral—catch it. When you notice yourself catastrophizing, ask: “What’s the next thing I can do?” Keep it small, something you can do without help if possible. And something you can do immediately. Chaos thrives on overwhelm; you fight it with focus. Talk to someone steady if you can—a friend who’s not losing their head, for instance. Perspective helps.

Finally, accept that some craziness is just part of life. You don’t have to fix the world to keep your own head straight. It’s about carving out your own pocket of calm, no matter what’s raging outside.

In his best-selling book, “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living,” Dale Carnegie recommends that in times of excessive stress we “live in day-tight compartments.” What he meant by that is that we should not borrow worry from yesterday, tomorrow, or even the next hour. Focus on the task at hand; worry about what comes next when “next” arrives.

Staying calm when the world feels like it’s spinning out of control is hard—but totally possible. It’s about keeping your personal balance when everything, and everyone else, feels off balance.