We often associate being healthy with not being sick. If our numbers look good—blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar—it’s easy to believe we’re on track. But good health is much more than that. It’s not just about what’s happening inside our bodies but also depends on what is happening around us, and how we choose to respond.

In today’s world where so much feels unpredictable, it’s easy to feel unsteady. Whether it’s the lingering effects of the pandemic, the fluctuations in the economy, or the constant stream of everyday stressors, uncertainty has become a certainty. And with this uncertainty comes a natural instinct to react quickly, believing we need to do something, anything, to regain control.

But I’ve learned over the years that one of the most important things to do in times like these is to pause and learn.

A challenge we all face is learning how to separate noise from signal. Our instinctive fight-or-flight response to bad news often pushes us to act fast, even when times call for patience and perspective. Today, those instincts aren’t triggered by physical threats but by a steady stream of headlines, speculation, and real-time reactions. Whether we’re leaders, parents, or community members, our ability to stay calm and provide steady perspective becomes extraordinarily valuable.

That’s why pausing matters. Pausing gives us a better chance to understand what’s going on. It helps us quiet the noise, create space for reflection, and gain clarity. In that space, learning becomes the stabilizer—often the difference between making knee-jerk reactions and choosing lasting, meaningful paths forward.

One thing I’ve found really helpful in times like these is the Cynefin Framework, developed by David Snowden. It’s a tool that helps leaders make sense of the situation they’re in—whether it’s simple, complicated, complex, or chaotic—and adjust their approach accordingly. In today’s fast-moving world, we’re often in that “complex” zone, where there’s no clear answer and patterns only show up over time. In those moments, Snowden’s advice is to probe, sense, and respond—basically, take in different perspectives, test ideas, and avoid jumping to quick conclusions.

This approach was really helpful to me during the early months of the pandemic, when it seemed every day brought more change and uncertainty. I adopted the idea of “probing” by reaching out to a wide range of leaders from different industries. Hearing their different perspectives, experiences, and instincts helped me start to piece together what was really going on. That experience reminded me that clarity rarely shows up all at once. It tends to build slowly through curiosity, honest conversations, and a willingness to listen beyond our own point of view.

I saw this same principle in action during my time leading Humana. Like any large organization, we faced our share of challenges … some we could see coming, others we didn’t. One way I tried to navigate this was by creating space for people to speak up and share their perspectives. One example was the CEO Advisory Council we set up. It wasn’t a governance group or a decision-making body but was simply a space for learning. We brought together frontline leaders from across the company, with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and roles.

We kept the meetings small and informal to encourage real conversation, free from hierarchy. Those sessions didn’t just shape how I saw the business; they helped shape how the company evolved. We uncovered barriers that weren’t obvious on paper, and we gained valuable insights into what motivated our teams, what our customers were experiencing, and how we could shift our culture and operations to better support people’s health. It was a powerful reminder that the best decisions don’t come from having all the answers but come from listening, learning, and staying humble along the way.

That same mindset of slowing down and choosing to learn was just as important during the pandemic. Like so many others, we were trying to navigate something we’d never been through before. The instinct early on was to move fast and push through. But we found that doing the opposite—pausing, asking questions, and listening—ended up making a much bigger impact.

We took the time to listen to our teammates and our customers. What did they need to feel safe and supported? What were they most worried about? What was getting in their way? Again and again, the answers pointed to the basics: a desire for safety, a need for connection, and the comfort of knowing they weren’t alone. The most effective things we did didn’t come from complicated strategies but from understanding human needs and responding with empathy and clarity.

It’s a good lesson to carry forward: when we don’t know what to do, we can always choose to learn.

In both work and life, we benefit from carving out space to learn. It doesn’t have to be formal. It can be as simple as asking better questions, stepping back to reflect, or surrounding ourselves with people who challenge our thinking. Learning builds resilience and keeps us adaptable. And it helps us respond with calm instead of chaos.

This applies to personal well-being, too. Some of the healthiest people I know do more than eat well and exercise. They’re also constantly learning—about themselves, about others, and about the world around them. They stay open and curious and build emotional and mental strength in the same way they build physical strength … by showing up and being willing to grow.

I try to build small things into my day that help keep me grounded and learning. Coffee with a friend. A consistent morning routine. Sunday planning sessions. Time with family. These may seem like habits, but they’ve become meaningful moments for reflection and insight. I’ve found they’re exactly what I need to stay present, reconnect with what matters, and notice when I’ve started to drift off course. Especially in uncertain times, these small anchors along with a learning mindset help keep me steady.

Because in the end, good health isn’t just physical. It’s emotional, social, and spiritual. And it’s shaped by how we engage with the world. Learning is the thread that ties it all together.

So yes, go to the doctor. Eat your vegetables. Move your body. But also, keep learning. Learn about yourself. Learn from others. Learn from the moments that stretch you, and the ones that slow you down. When the world feels noisy or unstable, learning gives us the pause we need to find clarity. It builds perspective, reveals what really matters, and helps us move forward—not in fear, but with purpose and wisdom.