I hit power on my phone and braced myself. After a dreamy week paddling the north shore of Lake Superior (spent eating oats on pebble beaches, sleeping under the stars, and living by the rhythm of the wind) I was met with 107 message notifications. Between agate hunting and misty lighthouse sightings, I’d almost forgotten I was a person with a job, bills and a group chat that never stops.
I eyed the notifications with equal parts curiosity and dread. What texts were waiting? What world events erupted while I’d been off-grid?
In uncertain times, relief is closer than you think
That return to signal is always jarring. A reminder of how much we carry and how gloriously little of it fits in our hatches.
If the world feels heavy, it’s not just you. Multiple studies show nearly half of North Americans reported feeling increased anxiety in 2025, thanks to a cocktail of rising living costs, global unrest, polarization and trade tensions.
No matter where you fall on the map, this pressure is a shared experience. We’re more connected than ever, yet our brains struggle with the constant onslaught of news, posts and pings. What used to arrive once a day with the newspaper now pours in by the nanosecond.
And t’s not just individuals who are feeling squeezed. After five tumultuous years, the outdoor industry is still finding its footing. After the pandemic boom came the bust. Shelves that were once bare overflowed. Retailers went from scrambling for inventory to slashing prices. Interest rates climbed, margins shrank and demand cooled. Some shops shut their doors for good. The ripple effects from 2020, renewed trade uncertainties and changing consumer priorities, like surging international travel, reverberate through the outdoor industry.
Of course, any challenge presents an opportunity.
In the face of uncertainty, psychologists say the key is to focus on what you can control: Your body. Your breath. Your bow. We can’t solve everything. But we can choose where we put ourselves. On a lake at dawn. In the spray of a wilderness rapid. Beneath the halo of the rising Harvest Moon.
Water, as they say, is the great equalizer. Out there, we’re not consumers or commodities. Just good folks in small boats beneath wild skies, stripped down to the essentials.
For all those adventures and more, Issue 73 of Paddling Magazine has got you covered. Flip to page 94 in the digital edition for our most requested story, ever—The Ultimate Skills Guide, Part II. Plus, Paddling Mag’s annual buying guide begins on page 112, featuring the hottest items this year to get you on your way.
When you’re ready, pick up your paddle and head out on the water. We’ll figure out the rest from there.
Kaydi Pyette is the editor-in-chief of Paddling Magazine.
This editorial was first published in Issue 73 of Paddling Magazine. More of what we need. | Feature photo: Kaydi Pyette
