It’s gloomy in LA today, and given that a lot of the US is facing extreme heat I am not complaining at all. I can’t lie, watching climate forecasts that I have studied, or even simulated myself, come true is anxiety inducing and disappointing at a magnitude I have nothing to compare to.

I was recently told that anxiety often comes up when I am trying to control something out of my control. The remedy is to accept what I can’t control (apparently). But with something like climate change, how do we do that without becoming apathetic?

It is well know that those working in the climate field have a high burn-out rate. At least among my colleagues in the US. Often passion quickly turns to practicality, and before you know it you are a professional appealing to the most common denominator to get anything done.

For someone like me, idealistic and stubborn, working on climate policy solutions hard career. I was effective, I knew pretty early on that career would have an expiration date. Ambition and creativity are great traits, but persistence and patience are more valuable. I personally moved out of the public sector in favor of a potentially faster moving, more innovative entrepreneurial pursuit..

It’s gloomy in LA today, and given that a lot of the US is facing extreme heat I am not complaining at all. I can’t lie, watching climate forecasts that I have studied over the past decade+ come true is anxiety inducing and disappointing on a whole new scale. I was told recently that anxiety often comes up when I am trying to control something out of my control. The remedy is to accept that I can’t control it apparently, but that’s really hard when it’s an issue I spent all of majority of my life learning about and actively working to remedy. Today instead of dwelling, I am going to focus on the small thing within my control. Focus on what right in front of me. Recount all the progress made, even if it isn’t quite enough. And keep forging ahead.

Today instead of dwelling, I am going to focus on the small thing within my control. Focus on what right in front of me. Recount all the progress made, even if it isn’t quite enough. And keep forging ahead.