The hardest moments in life often arrive without warning: a phone call, an email, a sudden shift that changes everything we thought we knew about tomorrow. For thousands of our neighbors today, that moment is now. As the government shutdown takes hold, many in our community are facing uncertainty that feels overwhelming. But here’s something I’ve learned through my own periods of loss and transition: the act of letting go, though painful, is not the same as giving up. It’s the courageous choice to release our grip on what we cannot control so we can open our hands to what might still be possible.
When we’re in crisis, our minds can become echo chambers of worst-case scenarios. We replay conversations, imagine devastating futures, and grip tightly to the identity we built around what was. This negative thinking feels protective, and we falsely believe that if we expect the worst, we can’t be blindsided again. But despair is a heavy companion, and it crowds out everything else. It takes up the space where creativity lives, where problem-solving breathes, where new opportunities whisper their arrival. Letting go of catastrophic thinking doesn’t mean denying reality or pretending everything is fine. It means choosing, moment by moment, to release thoughts that drain us and return to what’s actually happening here in this moment, which is usually more manageable than the stories we tell ourselves.
What makes room when we finally release our grip on old ideas? First, possibility. The career path you’d committed to might have been narrower than you realized. The identity you built around a title or workplace might have been covering up dreams you’d set aside. When we let go of “this is how it has to be,” we often discover options we couldn’t see before, not because they’re better or worse, simply because they’re different. Community also rushes in to fill the space. Here in Del Ray, we know much about neighbors showing up for each other. Letting go of the shame or isolation that comes with job loss creates room for connection, for asking for help, being of service to someone else, for discovering you’re not alone in this uncertain moment.
This isn’t about toxic positivity or pretending this shutdown isn’t creating real hardship. It is. But within that truth, there’s also this: you’ve survived every difficult day you’ve ever faced. You’ve rebuilt before, even if it looked different than this. And when you practice releasing what you cannot change: the decisions made in DC, the timeline you can’t control, the old version of your life that’s already gone, then you open up space for resilience, for reinvention, for creating the next chapter you haven’t written yet. Hold your feelings gently. Let go of what no longer serves you. And trust that you have everything you need to navigate what comes next.
Are you a Federal employee impacted by the government shutdown or recent job loss? We’re offering five free 30-minute transformational leadership coaching sessions to help you navigate this time of uncertainty with clarity and confidence. Sessions are held during normal business hours and are available in person (for those in the DMV area) or over Zoom. Due to limited availability, not all applicants will be selected. Click here and submit your information in the form to be considered.
Karen Marginot is a certified wellness and leadership coach and speaker for women facing life transitions. She is also an author and writing coach. Her first book, “The Bad Girls Club: Promises of a Spirituality-Based Recovery,” is a deeply personal journey through addiction to redemption in which Marginot shines a light to a way out for those grappling with the devastation of alcoholism and addiction.
