Don’t Wait
After over 40 podcast episodes, I’d like to say I’ve learned some things. I have. I’m a slow learner, but I’ve learned more about embodied carbon, bio polymers, activating communities, green ammonia, and perhaps my favorite, the Gratitude Tree (Thank you Greg Norris) and I could go on and on and on. I have new heroes and new role models.
But here’s what I’ve really learned. Your voice, once you find it, doesn’t have to be right all the time. It doesn’t have to solve problems. However, if you wait for all this before you speak, you’ll be quiet for a very long time.
“People need to be willing to be wrong publicly and we need to learn and forgive in the open, not behind closed doors.” - Russell Greenberg, Founder of RUX Studios and Break Some Dishes podcast guest, The Aesthetics of Ethics
When I was young, I loved to paint. As I grew up, I stopped painting because I didn’t consider myself very good and didn’t want people seeing my art to think the same. Now, I’m painting again for myself because I realized I simply enjoy the act of painting. And since I don’t have to make a living at it, I’ve realized it doesn’t have to be that good.
“If you ever, in your whole painting career, do a painting that you’re totally satisfied with, you might as well stop. You have nowhere else to go. The fact that you’re dissatisfied with your painting when you’re done and you can see room for improvement, is a blessing. Cherish it.”
— Bob Ross
See? Bob Ross was saying this a long time ago about painting, and we all know, it applies to life, in general, like all things Bob Ross…
I was terrified when I started podcasting that what I said would not be right, or interesting, or serve as a beacon for lost souls. I’m not sure what it was, but something pushed me to start and now I don’t want to stop. I’ve stopped worrying about being right. I’ve stopped worrying about solving problems. I’ve found that this effort to speak has opened the door to new conversations, opened my eyes to perspectives, and opened my mind to solutions. While I didn’t expect this particular journey for myself, the process of discovery has been the most fulfilling for me.
Global Climate Change is a daunting topic. You could take up a hobby, like knitting or fly fishing, and have a much easier time tracking progress and feeling productive. Saving the planet is a difficult feat and is often thought to be better left handled by bigger, stronger people or even superheroes. Greta Thunberg was just a young child when she found her voice. I doubt very much if she felt like she needed superpowers to create change, but it turns out she has some after all. So, what are your superpowers? Many of us might not yet know what our superpowers are. We can’t wait for other people to fix the mess that needs fixing right now. We need to find our superpowers and voices to combat the problems that will alter our future.
Climate Change Activism has been a journey for me. Fortunately, it’s far from over. I urge all of you to start the journey. Take the first step. Don’t worry if it’s the right one yet, just go. See where your heart takes you. And so I would tell you this. Don’t wait to speak up. Don’t wait to ask questions, and please don’t wait to be right. Let your heart guide you in these conversations and see where it takes you.
