Real talk: our world is already experiencing collapses of all kinds.

And our future is going to look very different than our past.

But here’s the thing: we can be collapse-aware AND engaged in good work to make things better.

We can grieve for what we are losing AND be grateful for all that is around us.

We can be guilty about missed opportunities to make a difference AND joyful about the things that make us feel rooted and connected each day.

We can feel both despair AND delight.

That’s what this newsletter is about: that beautiful but precarious straddling of the two sides of this collapse-awareness coin.

Now, I don’t have special training in ushering people through grief and gratitude.

But I DO have a whole lot of experience - both personal and professional - in navigating this journey.

I know the twists and turns.

I know where the potholes are.

I know how to get there, because I have picked my way through this path and led others here, too.

I am an accidental grief worker, and this is my calling.

I´m Maya, and I am so glad you´re here.

As an artist, author, change strategist, and adaptation activist, I embrace change and teach others the skills required to thrive in new circumstances. Growing up in rural Oregon gave me small-town country girl roots, but I have spent 25+ years living in five different countries and exploring many others.

I see the world as stunningly vast, wildly diverse, utterly fascinating, and filled with billions of kind and generous people who long for a healthy future for all.

That doesn´t mean I have my head in the sand! I fully recognize the harsh realities of our present time and the looming risks.

But I know this: we must adapt in order to thrive.

So, I choose to see this as a magnificent challenge to face the future with creativity, playfulness, and action.

My biggest inspiration? My young grandchildren!

Many think of the future as filled with despair and disaster.

But what if we started seeing it as a time of discovery and determination?

Each week, I´ll share:

• a musing inspired by climate fiction, positive news, or personal stories

• a creative-thinking prompt that helps you expand your ideas about the future and how you want to choose to face it

My goals for each Friday post:

• keep it short

• spark ideas

• inspire action

It isn´t all rainbows and rah-rahs.

But if you can spare five minutes a week for a mindset tweak, I would love to welcome you to my virtual kitchen table! 💚

It´s free to all. When you sign up, every new post is sent directly to your email box, and you can always read posts using the Substack app.

Get started today, and start seeing the silver lining (it’s there if you look) instead of the scary losses.

Thank you so much for being open to uncertainty and willing to create a new vision of your future!