Have you ever noticed how life's biggest challenges don't politely knock on your door? They burst in unannounced, turning your world upside down and rewriting the story you thought you knew. That's exactly what happened to our family, throwing us headfirst into what I now recognize as a deeply personal VUCA situation – volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous.

The diagnosis landed like a plot twist in a story we weren't prepared to read. Lewy Body Dementia – a condition that brings cognitive decline, physical symptoms, and those unpredictable daily fluctuations that keep you constantly on your toes. Suddenly, our family found ourselves navigating a maze of questions: How would Mom's condition progress? Could Dad manage the caregiving alone? What would tomorrow bring, let alone next month or next year?

Life has a fascinating way of testing our resilience, doesn't it? Financial instability can feel like being caught in a storm without an umbrella – especially when those curveballs come hurling at you faster than you can dodge them. Whether it's economic downturns, unexpected job transitions, or surprise expenses, these challenges have an uncanny knack for appearing at precisely the most inconvenient moments.

Let's talk about something we all face but rarely discuss openly – the emotional twists and turns we deal with during VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity). Think about the last time your perfectly planned day unraveled. Maybe it was a challenging conversation with a team member, an unexpected family crisis, or simply the weight of multiple responsibilities colliding at once.

From small annoyances to life-altering events, the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity of daily life can take a toll on our mental health.

As the year comes to a close, I've been reflecting on the Mindset Wizardry blog. This year has been a whirlwind of stories, lessons, and growth—both personal and professional. Through it all, one constant has been you, our readers. Thank you for being part of this magical journey.

Looking back, our blog has covered an incredible variety of topics. I've shared personal stories, from my time living in Miami to moving back to Brazil, and then the adventure of leaving Brazil to start a new chapter back in the U.S. Each of these experiences reinforced valuable lessons about adaptability, resilience, and the power of mindset.

Writing this blog has been more than just sharing ideas; it's been about putting myself out there. That's not always easy, but it's been incredibly rewarding.

Picture this: You're standing in an empty room, surrounded by moving boxes, while your phone blows up with messages from friends who now live several time zones away. Or maybe you're sitting in a coffee shop, staring at a wedding ring that suddenly feels heavy with decisions and change. Life has a way of serving up those moments that shake our foundations, doesn't it?

These personal earthquakes - whether they're the death of a loved one, relocations, relationship shifts, or family transformations - aren't just life events. They're our own personal VUCA moments in action. (And trust me, as someone who recently packed up my life and moved countries, I know this dance all too well! 🌍)

But what exactly does VUCA look like in our personal lives?

Change is the only constant, especially in today’s fast-paced professional world. Whether you’re starting a new job, navigating a promotion, facing a layoff, or transitioning from remote work back to the office, career shifts can be both exciting and daunting. These transitions often bring a whirlwind of emotions and challenges, as they introduce elements of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity—otherwise known as VUCA.

In this post, we’ll explore the VUCA of career transitions and share practical strategies to help you thrive during times of change.

If you’ve ever packed up your life and moved to a new city, country, or even just a different neighborhood, you know the feeling: that mix of excitement and anxiety, the thrill of new beginnings intertwined with the uncertainty of the unknown. Moving is one of the most significant life changes we can experience, and it’s a perfect example of how VUCA—Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity—can show up in our everyday lives.

We often think of VUCA in the context of global crises, but it’s just as relevant on a personal scale. Relocating introduces a whirlwind of change that can leave us feeling disoriented, emotionally drained, and unsure of what comes next. But it can also be an opportunity to grow, adapt, and build resilience.

In this post, we’ll explore the VUCA of relocation, why it feels so challenging, and how you can not only survive but thrive when faced with a new environment.

When we hear the term VUCA, it often conjures images of large-scale crises—global events like wars, pandemics, or natural disasters. These are the big, headline-grabbing situations where everything feels volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. But here's the thing: VUCA isn't just about global chaos. It’s also a part of our everyday lives, whether we realize it or not.

As Javier and I reflect on our journey of writing Mindset Wizardry, we both agree that having the right partner made all the difference. This is the seventh and final post in our series of lessons learned from writing our first book, and today we want to emphasize the importance of finding a great partner when writing and publishing a book.

Writing Mindset Wizardry was a learning process filled with trial and error. Both Javier and I had plenty of experience writing reports, proposals, training, and presentations throughout our careers, but writing a book? That was an entirely different challenge.

There are so many steps involved in publishing a book, especially when you’re doing it independently. Unlike with traditional publishers, self-publishing requires you to manage every piece of the puzzle, from writing and editing to design and formatting. After some research, we realized that while we could do many of these tasks ourselves, it didn’t mean we should.

When Javier and I set out to write Mindset Wizardry, we were navigating uncharted waters. Neither of us had written or published a book before, and while we were confident in our ideas, the process of turning those ideas into a book was a bit overwhelming. One of the best decisions we made early on was reaching out to other authors—both traditionally published and self-published—to learn from their experiences.

We quickly realized that while there are many resources available about writing and publishing, there’s nothing quite like hearing first-hand accounts from people who have already been through the process. Every author we spoke to had a unique experience, but each one offered valuable insights that helped us avoid common pitfalls and make informed decisions.

Writing a book is a deeply personal and often solitary endeavor, but one of the key lessons Javier and I learned while working on Mindset Wizardry is that feedback from trusted sources is invaluable. Whether it’s during the research phase, the writing process, or the post-editing stage, having a fresh set of eyes on your work can make all the difference.

In this fourth post in the series, we will talk about the value of feedback in the writing process.

One of the greatest tools I’ve always leaned on, whether in coaching conversations or in my own personal learning, is the power of storytelling. Stories have a unique ability to cut through the noise, making complex ideas feel relatable and real. It was no different when Javier and I were writing Mindset Wizardry: The Magic Behind Thriving in a VUCA World—we knew that to make our message resonate, we needed to weave in compelling stories.

This blog post is the third in our series about the key lessons we learned while writing our book. Today’s lesson focuses on The Power of Stories—how we used storytelling to turn what could have been a dry, theoretical book into something more engaging and memorable.

This blog post is the second in a series where we’re sharing some of the key lessons we learned throughout the writing and publishing process. Today, we’ll talk about Lesson #2: From Structure to Success: The Power of an Adaptable Outline.

When you begin a project as complex as writing a book, especially one with the scope of Mindset Wizardry, an outline is essential. It helps you organize your thoughts, set a roadmap for the content, and gives you a clear sense of direction. For us, it was like the skeleton on which we could later build the flesh of our ideas. It provided a sense of control over a massive amount of material, keeping us from getting lost in the chaos of information.

Three years ago, Javier and I embarked on a journey that would challenge us in ways we didn’t expect—writing our book, Mindset Wizardry: The Magic Behind Thriving in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA) World. The process was a rollercoaster of excitement, learning, and, yes, we were a little bit overwhelmed. As we immersed ourselves in the research, we realized just how crucial it was to structure our approach thoughtfully.

Over the next several weeks, I’ll be sharing some key lessons we learned during the writing and publishing of our book. This blog series builds on some content we posted previously, but with more depth and reflection on what it truly took to bring Mindset Wizardry to life. Today, we’re starting with Lesson #1: Our Crowdsourcing Secret.

Yesterday, I found myself in the midst of a personal VUCA storm. You know those moments: Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous—the kind of whirlwind where chaos reigns, and control slips through your fingers. This time, the storm took the form of a dying PC that finally decided it had done enough. In the grand scheme of things, this was a small storm, but I thought I’d write about it anyway.

Life has a funny way of throwing curveballs when you least expect them. For me, the latest twist came in early July, as I was preparing to move into my new home. Freshly back from Brazil and temporarily staying at my brother's place in New Hampshire, I faced the task of transporting my five furry companions—three cats and two dogs—to my new house. With pet transport services priced sky-high during the summer, I knew I had only one option: to take on this journey myself.

If you follow us on social media and read our blog, you know that I have spent the last couple of years living through my own VUCA experience, moving to Brazil and back to the US. On many days, I felt like I was living with a VUCA hurricane, not a simple storm. I had to put everything we wrote in our book, Mindset Wizardry: The Magic Behind Thriving in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA) World, into practice. Today, I’d like to talk about one remedy that I have found helpful as I regain my inner peace.

During my family’s recent visit to the breathtaking Glacier National Park, I was reminded of the incredible power of nature to reduce stress, restore balance, and spark creativity.

Change often comes with a mix of excitement and uncertainty. My niece recently graduated from Miami University and moved out of her college apartment, preparing for the adventure of graduate school. In the process, her car became a snapshot of life's quirky moments—a doll head and a disco ball among her belongings hiding in the back seat.

This got me thinking about how these objects are a metaphor for transitions and new beginnings. I know, it’s a leap, but hear me out on this one.

If you’ve been following our blog, you know that I’ve been living in a VUCA world for the last year and a half. VUCA—Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous—is the perfect acronym to describe the whirlwind of unpredictability I experienced. My return to the US from Brazil has brought an unexpected sense of calm. I’m no longer under constant stress; I can think clearly and focus. However, as I start making significant life decisions, like figuring out where to live, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. This feeling is common when emerging from a VUCA storm. Being in crisis mode becomes such an automatic response that our minds struggle to adapt to a newfound sense of stability.

Read today’s blog to understand the three signs that your mind hasn’t caught up with your new, calmer reality. You will also learn about how you can shift your mindset to recognize what's happening and stay in a more normal, productive state.