"No You're Not"

Grateful For a Cold Wake-Up Call I Wasn't Expecting

I ran up the ramp in the rain and pushed the heavy stroller into the bustling Subway station. My daughter and I were headed to Grand Central Station to catch a train north. I was proud of having made it out in time, not always a given with unexpected last-minute diaper changes and other shenanigans.

Ah, yes!!

The elevator was already on ground level and just about to go down — lucky! I made a run for it and squeezed us in with the two other gentlemen, an older man with a cane and one in an electric wheelchair. The doors closed behind us and we began our slow descent. As we’re about halfway down, we can see through the dirty glass walls that a train is approaching the station. Frustration built inside me as I understood there was a great chance we weren’t going to make it. I shouldn’t have said anything, but it just slipped out.

“Aaah, these elevators are sooo slow.”

The gentleman to our left looked at me with those eyes that tell you he’s about to give you a lesson.

“This elevator just took this (he gestures over our slam-packed stroller) down the stairs.”

I try to save myself.

“Oh I know, I’m of course super grateful, truly.”

But he wouldn’t let me be saved.

“No, you’re not,” was all he said back.

An awkward silence followed as the elevator slowly settled and (if I may say so, at a snail's pace) opened its doors. At a similarly slow pace, our little company of four poured out onto the platform, as it was clear we weren’t going to make it.

Yes, we did miss the train, but that’s not the point.

The point is he had said something very truthful and I’m so thankful he said it. The reality is, I haven’t been grateful for these elevators that some of New York’s subway stations carry, I’ve only been annoyed. Annoyed there aren’t more, annoyed they’re always dirty and smelly, annoyed they’re so slow you most likely will miss a train.

I’m fairly new to navigating New York from the lens of accessibility. Only when I became a mother did I have to think extra about how to get around. But I know that so many people rely on these amenities and they do not take them for granted, and neither should I.

And truth be told, I will never think of the MTA elevators the same way again.

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Discovering new blessings

How do we overcome the gratitude gap?

My husband recently discovered that he can take the bus to work. Instead of walking up the hill to the closest subway stop, and then running down the stairs to squeeze himself into the mix of morning commuters, he can walk to the park outside our building and wait for the bus. Although the bus is more unpredictable and doesn’t come as often, it allows him to look out the window at the city outside and get dropped off right where he needs to go in midtown.

He’s told me taking the bus instead of the subway has improved his mornings significantly, and hence also the rest of his day.

If you’re someone who’s taken the bus to work for years, you may not relate to this newfound blessing of his. To you, taking the bus is just part of the norm — it’s something you have to do to get to work. But what if I stepped into the role of the wise gentleman in the elevator and pulled you into focus? What are you taking for granted in life?

And how is it holding you back from activating the most powerful energy — the energy of gratitude?

Landing back in gratitude

When something new presents itself, it’s easy to feel good about it. But soon enough, this “new” gets added to our “norm” and we begin to take it for granted. Once we do, it’s easy for gratitude to slip away.

But who is paying the price for that?

You are (and potentially some fellow travelers,) because you’re missing out on the gift. When gratitude is present, magic comes into play. I know it’s che-e-e-esy but oh is it true! Every yogi, guru, or even rap artist will tell you the same — with gratitude comes the seed of life, appreciation, possibilities, and new beginnings.

Because when we learn to be grateful for what we already have, and for what we already can do, we invite for more possibilities to unfold.

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Unlocking future potentials

When it comes to climate change and the work we’re doing in co-creating a just, circular, and regenerative world, we must start from a place of gratitude. Once we learn to recognize the incredible things we’ve already created and the seemingly magical ways society operates today, we can open up our visions for even more.

From a place of gratitude and awe for our creations, we can find inspiration to seek new answers, explore bigger, and think again.

Let’s put this into practice!

• Start paying attention to what you take for granted and seep some gratitude into these mundane/boring/annoying things. Will it change how you see your day?

• Look around yourself and notice all the things that enable you to get to work, complete a task, or live your life. What past genius has enabled this reality? What inspiration that we spark today could make our world even better for tomorrow?

• Ask yourself: “If I take this for granted now? What innovation could I take for granted tomorrow? What steps are necessary now to make that new normal a reality?”

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Climate Optimism Belongs in Schools — And In Every Topic!

You might remember that I visited Hungary last fall to speak at a super inspiring tree-planting event hosted by MOME, an art and design university in Budapest. They put together this short video to share about the mission and I’m honored to be a part of it!

If you or someone you know would like to study in Europe and find sustainability important, their master courses in English are worth checking out! Visiting their beautiful campus I was amazed by just how much sustainability and a climate-futuristic approach was present all around!

Learn more at mome.hu. There you can also read about their zero initiatives: mome.hu/en/zero

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Will I see you at The Tech Arena?

I’m thrilled to say I’ll be moderating a few panels at The Tech Arena in Stockholm on February 22-23, spanning topics like impact investing, sustainability and traceability, and how we accelerate climate tech with corporates.

Will you be there? If so, please send me a note and maybe we can find a chance to connect!