When Uncertainty Calls for a Growth Mindset

In challenging times, a growth mindset becomes more than an idea — it’s a way forward. It’s the belief that our capacity to meet challenges grows when we combine effort, strategy and support from others.

Beverly Worthington, MA, ACNP, executive director of FamilyForward

I’ve been thinking a lot about navigating uncertainty. Every day, my inbox fills with messages about how cuts to once-reliable funding will affect families in our communities. Some changes are already unfolding; others are anticipated. As an organization supporting low-income, working families, we at FamilyForward feel these concerns deeply. These are our neighbors — some of whom you might not even realize are struggling to make ends meet. And yet, the truth is, we don’t really know what is going to happen. We are caught in a season of uncertainty, and we’ve been here before. Yet we carry on, certain in our purpose.

During the pandemic, no one imagined that two weeks of sheltering at home would stretch into months; that we’d be socially isolated; that incomes would vanish; or that so many families would stand on the brink of losing their homes. It was overwhelming, but we adapted — because humans are resilient, and so is FamilyForward. We respond to immediate needs, and we also plan proactively for what might lie ahead.

Embracing a growth mindset

In times like these, a growth mindset becomes more than an idea — it’s a way forward. It’s the belief that our capacity to meet challenges grows when we combine effort, strategy and support from others. At FamilyForward, we meet families who are living in survival mode, facing hard realities and limited choices. Through financial assistance, we give them room to breathe. Through mentorship, we help them expand their capacity to change, to grow and to create a future that looks different from today.

But we cannot do this alone. As leaders, partners and community members, we have the same choice: to retreat in the face of uncertainty or to step forward with clarity and resolve. When uncertainty weighs heavy, I remind myself to stay the course — to lean on the same growth mindset we encourage in the families we partner with every day. While we can’t predict what’s ahead, we can prepare. We can stay open to learning. And we can face the unknown with courage, knowing that challenge often becomes the catalyst for growth.

Building stronger community connections

FamilyForward is choosing to stay the course, to adapt where needed, and to keep investing in families so they can thrive, no matter what comes next. Potential cuts to healthcare, education, and food and housing assistance push us to rethink how we support families and cultivate partnerships. As funding sources become less predictable, we’re strategizing how to build stronger community connections to stay responsive to changing needs.

We’ve revitalized our Outreach Committee to focus on effective revenue development and long-term donor growth. We’re also pursuing new relationships with charitable foundations as well as actively exploring other funding opportunities to build our capacity and further our mission.

But our most important resource is you. Your partnership — through financial means and volunteerism — is what drives impact. Your continued support will ensure families have access to mentoring, housing stability and resources to weather this moment — and emerge stronger. Together, we can turn uncertainty into opportunity for our communities and each other. Together, we will embrace and engage our growth mindset.