When the World Feels Uncertain, Here’s How You Stay Focused on a Better Life for Your Family

Photo by Santiago Lacarta on Unsplash

Every time you turn on the news, it feels like the world is lurching into a new crisis—tariffs, inflation, layoffs, the quiet hum of a possible recession getting louder by the day. Families everywhere are feeling it not just in their wallets but in their bones.

And yet, even in the middle of all this noise, so many of us are holding onto something deeper: the desire to give our kids a life that feels better—more spacious, more balanced, more secure.

I know that pull. I’ve lived it.

In 2015, I left the U.S. alone to build a life with my husband, Duane, in the UK. A year later, in 2016, we moved to Copenhagen with our 8-month-old daughter, Mia. That move was supported by a company relocation package, which made the transition easier—but it didn’t quiet all our doubts. We were first-time parents, leaving everything familiar, chasing the hope that there was a different kind of life waiting for us.

What we found in Denmark was eye-opening.

Yes, the taxes were high. But what we gained in return reshaped our idea of what “security” really means: access to great healthcare without surprise bills, well-kept parks, a community-centered way of living, and high-quality childcare we could actually afford. We weren’t grinding every day just to get by—we were living.

In 2020, when Mia was 4 and Elise was 2, we moved back to the UK. This time, there was no relocation package—we did it ourselves. It wasn’t easy, but we had learned how to build a life on our own terms. And in 2024, we moved again—this time to Qatar- when Mia was 7 and Elise was 6. That move was also company-sponsored, but again, the heart of it wasn’t logistics—it was the vision we had for our family.

We wanted more time together. We wanted options. We wanted to feel like life was something we were actively building, not just reacting to.

So when people ask me, “Isn’t it risky to make a move like that right now?” I gently remind them: There is no perfect time. We didn’t make these moves because the world was calm—we made them because we refused to wait for calm to pursue the life we knew was possible.

If you’re feeling pressure right now—if the headlines are making you question whether it’s crazy to dream big—I want you to know you’re not alone. You’re not irresponsible. You’re paying attention. And still choosing to hope.

Hope for a life where your kids can play freely in clean, safe spaces.
Hope for less stress and more time.
Hope for a future that doesn't feel like a constant juggle.

That hope is valid. That vision is worth honoring.

And no, you don’t have to leap tomorrow. But don’t silence that whisper inside you, either. The one that says, maybe there’s something more. That whisper has carried my family across continents—and every time we followed it, we found new forms of freedom, even if it looked different than we expected.

So when the world feels uncertain, don’t shrink your dreams. Revisit your vision. Take the next right step. Ask better questions. Talk to families who’ve done it. Learn the systems. Make a plan. But above all—don’t wait for the world to calm down before you start building the life your family deserves.

Uncertainty will always exist. But so does possibility.

Sonaya