Showing Up Amid Privilege and Chaos

“… when the day feels impossibly heavy and the headlines blur together, perhaps what matters most is remembering those first gentle moments, the quiet routines, the shared smiles, the simple ways we care for each other.”

-Stacie Spragins, Founder

Is it just another routine morning?

She wakes up and, following the familiar habits of her daily routine, stumbles out of bed to silence the alarm. She moves through the house, gently rousing her children, ensuring they’re awake and ready for the day. There’s dressing, feeding, and preparing everyone for what lies ahead. She reviews the calendar to confirm the day’s schedule, keeping track of commitments for herself and her family. By 7:17 AM, everyone is out the door and on the bus, their day officially underway. With her family taken care of, she turns her attention to herself, fitting in a workout, drinking sixteen ounces of coffee, taking her supplements, and jotting down brief reflections on joyful moments from the previous day. All of these small acts are efforts to help her show up as her best self at her job. She acknowledges the privilege inherent in being able to rely on routine. A privilege that creates space for both health and for facing the harder realities of life.

Once she sits down at her computer, ready to start her workday, she’s confronted by the news. A monotonous stream of heartbreaks. The stories hit hard; as an empathetic person, she finds herself shedding tears before even getting to her list of tasks for the day. She thinks about the immigrants who have influenced her life and recognizes the irony and privilege in her own identity: the way she looks, the way she speaks, and her ability to trace her lineage back to the Trail of Tears. This juxtaposition weighs on her, making the day feel heavy, as if she’s trudging through mud.

Despite a looming work deadline, the noise and sorrow of the outside world feel almost impossible to carry. The tasks at hand seem trivial and unobtainable compared to the overwhelming need to make a difference. She knows that the burdens she carries are not the same as her neighbor’s, but there is a shared need to support their families and find ways to use their voices for positive change. The weight of the world makes daily life feel both urgent and insignificant.

Creating Space Amid the Chaos

This is just one story among many that illustrates how people are showing up each day. It’s a story of privilege, but it is also filled with frustration, frustration at having to maintain a routine when the chaos and demands of the outside world call for deeper attention and action.

One meaningful action is to create spaces that echo the warmth and openness of a front porch. A place where real conversations can happen, even when life outside feels overwhelming. Leading with space means intentionally generating an environment where these informal “Porch Talks” are not only welcomed but encouraged to breathe and unfold naturally. In the midst of overwhelming news and daily demands, sometimes the most impactful thing you can do for someone at work is to offer a simple, casual conversation that allows them to feel seen and supported.

Choosing a space that feels safe and neutral sets the foundation for authentic dialogue, particularly when the outside world feels heavy. Using inclusive language like “we” and “us” helps build a sense of shared ownership and belonging, reminding everyone that they are not alone in carrying their burdens. Being intentionally present, listening to learn rather than to respond, cultivates trust and understanding.

Letting curiosity guide our interactions, rather than judgment, becomes even more critical in uncertain times. Lean into open-ended questions, such as, “What’s one thing you haven’t said out loud yet?” to invite deeper reflection and honesty. Leadership can take tangible action by balancing the comfort of routine with intentional pauses for reflection, recognizing when the team needs space to process, rather than just pushing forward through the noise.

Above all, lead with empathy. It’s okay, and sometimes necessary, to listen without the urge to fix, acknowledging that not every problem can or should be solved in the moment. So, when the day feels impossibly heavy and the headlines blur together, perhaps what matters most is remembering those first gentle moments, the quiet routines, the shared smiles, the simple ways we care for each other. By creating space for real conversation, we find ways to show up for one another, even when the world outside is spinning with chaos.