I give myself permission to recognize the fear that I am feeling is rooted in the number of ideas…First, it is rooted in the reality that things are changing…That there truly is a climate crisis…This crisis is impacting all of our lives…And this crisis will continue to impact the generations to come…That is a scary proposition…Second, it is hard because it is so big…I can make thoughtful choices about how I impact the environment…But my thoughtful choices aren’t enough…My thoughtful choices alone aren’t going to change the world…Because the problem is so big…Since I can’t do this on my own…It is easy to feel helpless…It is easy to feel overwhelmed…Because the problem is so big…At the same time I recognize that I can make a difference…My thoughtful choices are important…I can lead by example…Encouraging the people around me to make better choices is important…Because when each of us make thoughtful choices…The sum total of those choices makes a difference…I can’t change the past…The current situation is what it is…I give myself permission to have hope…I give myself permission to trust humanity…I give myself permission to take responsibility for the choices that I can make…And the advocacy that I can do…It is worthwhile fighting a difficult problem…It is worthwhile putting in the effort…I believe my actions are important…I believe my actions can make a difference…In my actions I can find hope…In the community around me I can find encouragement…I’m not alone in this concern…I can connect with others who have the same concern…Collectively we can make a difference.