Resilience Matters

04/25/2026

Maybe we don't need to rely solely on cars.

05/24/2025

Elizabeth Lukehart writes here about her epiphany in discovering Donnella Meadows and her book 'Thinking in Systems' published in 2008, seven years after Meadows' untimely death. I had the gift of a similar epiphany in 1972 when 'The Limits to Growth', with Dana Meadows as its lead author, was published. She and her co-authors changed my lens on the world and I treasure and revisit my dog-eared copies of both books. May her words inspire you to read them.

No, it’s not Das Kapital. I’ve never read Marx and I'm not afraid to admit it!

04/05/2025

Here's the third and final instalment of the Transition Bridging Project's series on systems mediation unveiling the last three Areas of Work (AOW), pivotal in shaping the practice of systems mediation within socio-ecological transitions. This concluding part aims to round out our proposal of systems mediation's diverse applications and transformative potential.

Closing the loop of an initial framework for systems mediation.

04/04/2025

Here's the second part of the Transition Bridging project three-part mini-series on systems mediation. The first instalment, posted yesterday, laid the groundwork by exploring the theoretical frameworks that inspire and underpin the practice of systems mediation, with a solid foundation for understanding its principles and potential impact. This second post shifts focus towards the practical application of these principles.

Entering the world of systems mediation's areas of work

04/03/2025

Sharing some interesting explorations of the Transitions Bridging Project from a round table of relevant frameworks for systems mediation. Here's Part 1.

A round table of relevant frameworks for systems mediation

03/24/2025

Here's an interesting exploration of the problem of human hubris in thinking that we can find ways to control complex systems. Donella Meadows more wisely invited us to "dance with systems", learn from them, and work with them.

Instead of imposing control on the complexity “out there,” we can nurture the complexity “in here” to get better at listening, learning, and responding. Sometimes we don’t need more data, we just need to get out there and dance.

02/09/2025

A more than urgent call to actively take nature’s side. In the long run, it’s really our side, too.

Is it too late to save biodiversity and the living Earth? In this article I’ll argue that only a collective effort to put wild nature at the center of our priorities will prevent its devastation and the possible disappearance of our own species, among countless others.

12/04/2024

Polarization is becoming more prevalent and overwhelming in countries and communities around the world. Rachel Donald interviews social psychologist Nichole Argo about how we can respond.

Journalist and podcaster Rachel Donald interviews Nichole Argo, co-director of the Needham Resilience Network, a coalition of community leaders working together to establish relationships across silos, support belonging (rather than othering), and co-create solutions to community problems. Rachel an...

11/19/2024

Valuable program for these challenging times, when understanding and learning to work with our nervous systems can give us more resources to get through our days and even make a positive difference in our world.

Resilience is not merely the ability to endure difficulty: Rather, it is the conscious use of our resources as well as the desire to get back up and dust ourselves off after a set-back or a loss. It is nurturing the faith in ourselves to locate and utilize our innate...

11/09/2024

COP29 climate talks open in Azerbaijan next week. We’ll no doubt be told we’re in an unprecedented and dangerous situation, there’s little time left, and that we’re not moving in the right direction. Then the speeches will likely culminate in a general call for urgent action, emphasising the critical importance of maintaining hope.

Some studies link hope with an intention for positive climate engagement, others find no measurable effect at all. Some found a sense of climate distress was more motivating than optimism.

Reality is the future that we’re creating is extremely scary. Our suffering and distress are signs that we’re paying attention. We need grounding to endure setbacks and continue our efforts simply because it’s the right thing to do - establishing a state of resilience that transcends reliance on hope. Transformation happens in connection with others, to beauty, purpose and a sense of meaning - growing our capacity to hold uncertainty.

When we’re grounded in connection, we can take sustainable action, even when things break down — not because action is the only escape from psychological distress, but because it’s the right thing to do. Maybe that’s the only way to come up with solutions worthy of meeting the magnitude of o...