In Today’s Issue:
The lagom mindset — Not necessarily perfect
Have you heard about “The Line” in Saudi Arabia?
Climate Courage is this week’s book tip
Lagom
I love the Swedish word “lagom” and I’ll probably never stop using it no matter how long I live abroad. It basically means to do things “good enough, yet sort of perfect.”
Lagom can be used for anything from how much (non-dairy) milk you’d like in your coffee to explaining the weather or describing how big of a house you want when you grow up. It’s not too much or too little, not too hot or too cold, not too small or too big; it’s somewhere right in the middle — it’s “just enough.”
It might seem like a boring concept, but don’t be mistaken—Swedes love lagom. Lagom is good, a life standard to aspire to.
“How much milk would you like in your coffee?”
“Oh, just lagom.”
Of course, this idea of lagom can be very different for different people, so you expect the other person to indicate when you’ve poured the lagom amount.
“Thanks. That’s great.”
What I love about lagom is that when you google it, you’ll find the definition “not necessarily perfect.” You understand that the outcome may not be perfect but it’s okay, because lagom is often more than good enough. When it comes to our climate actions, that is exactly the kind of mindset we need.
We must recognize that questioning the status quo and slowly moving in a new direction will come with our fair share of mistakes. If we strive for perfection, we will fail, and grow more and more frustrated in the process. However, if we aim to do as good as we can — if we infuse a little bit of lagom into our every action — I believe we can be successful.
Slow and steady wins the race, as they say, and I think nothing could be more true about our climate actions.
Don’t mistake this for being lazy or for not caring. Lagom has everything to do with reaching the outcome you want — you’re simply being more open-minded about what that will be. We must certainly strive for the best there is and not sway in our vision of the world we want to see, but as we embark on this journey, it’s important we don’t get stuck seeking perfection.
We also need to act now because we don’t have a second to lose, so this has nothing to do with being slow, but the act itself needs to come from a place of grounded intention.
Not necessarily perfect also speaks to finding the courage to try new things. It’s not going to be perfect right away, but as you try, you learn, and you will get better and better as you try again. Don’t fear acting because you’re not a climate expert — not many of us are.
Recognize that you, too, belong on the climate hero squad, and whatever you can do today, is enough. It’s lagom for you, and as you keep growing on this journey, that lagom will change, and you will keep raising the bar of your own eco-hero potential.
Have you seen this?
I’m not gonna lie, this new “line” city in Saudia Arabia looks like an eco dream, but is it realistic? Will we see this materialize?
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below! :)
This Week’s Book Tip
Climate Courage is a book written for THIS decade! It’s a book about how to overcome our adversities in the past and join forces on this journey towards a climate-just world. The subtitle goes “How Tackling the Climate Crisis Can Build Community, Transform the Economy, and Bridge the Political Divide in America” but this isn’t just a book for Americans — it’s for everyone who wants to better understand how to join forces for a BETTER world.
Author: Andreas Karelas Publisher: Beacon Press I Find the book here
Climate Optimism
This 23-year-old plants thousands of trees per day, and loves it!
Using propane in air conditioners could prevent 0.1°C of warming
Bill Gates is 'More Optimistic Than Ever'