How to Dream Big When the World Feels Like It’s Falling Apart

big picture coaching questions politics Jan 17, 2025

I don’t know about you, but lately, I’ve been bumping up against a tough question:

How do I dream when the world feels like it’s falling apart?

It’s hard to avoid the chaos. Scrolling through the news feels like drinking from a firehose of despair.

Fires raging in LA, just an hour south of where I was born.
Leaders spewing hateful rhetoric while rising to positions of power.
The unrelenting assault on occupied Palestine. Rising antisemitism.
And here at home, familiar faces in power, unraveling the very fabric of democracy.

Meanwhile, here I am, talking about my Word of the Year, setting income goals, daring to dream big for 2025.

The tension feels impossible sometimes.

Women leaders shouting, “Let’s go, girls!” can feel painfully out of touch when there’s so much suffering all around us.

But here’s the thing: focusing only on the pain denies us our humanity.

Joy and suffering have always coexisted. That’s not new.

What’s new is how much suffering we’re asked to hold in the palm of our hands every day on that tiny glowing screen we carry everywhere.

No wonder dreaming big feels harder.

But here’s what I know to be true:

You’re allowed to still want.
You’re allowed to still dream.
You’re allowed to still achieve, even when the world feels like it’s falling apart.

In fact, I believe you must.

Because dreaming and showing up for yourself doesn’t mean ignoring the suffering around you.

Individual people, having hard conversations, setting boundaries, pursuing their passions, are how we innovate and move through suffering.

Real leadership isn’t about choosing joy or suffering. It’s about navigating both.

Here’s what that looks like:

Boldness: Taking steps toward what you want, even when it feels risky or uncertain.
Compassion: Showing up for friends, neighbors, and communities who are struggling.
Generosity: Speaking out, giving back, and building something better for those who will come after us.
Balance: Tending to your own suffering while also holding space for hope and joy.

Women leaders don’t turn a blind eye to the world’s challenges.

We don’t live in denial, pretending everything is fine.

We model what it looks like to survive and thrive at the same time.

We remind ourselves and others that both joy and pain can exist in the same moment.

If you’re struggling to dream big for 2025, here are three ways to move forward:

What’s one thing that truly lights you up? Start there. What you really want doesn’t have to solve everything, it just has to feel true to you.

Joy doesn’t cancel out pain, but it does give you strength to keep going. Whether it’s laughter with a friend, a walk in the woods, or a perfectly made cup of coffee, lean into the moments that remind you of what’s good.

You don’t have to have it all figured out to take your Next Best Step toward what you really want. Courage grows in the doing.

What does this stir up for you?

Are you struggling to dream for 2025? Or are you holding hope and chaos side by side?

Drop your thoughts in the comments or send me a message. I’d love to hear what you’re grappling with and what you’re dreaming about.

We’re women reinventing what it means to lead.

We’re in this together.

Here’s to dreaming boldly, even when the world feels heavy,
Amy

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