Dear AGNES,
I am currently traveling and working in Europe during a significant heat wave. I am managing reasonably well by staying hydrated, adjusting my schedule, and avoiding the hottest parts of the day.
What is affecting me more is the atmosphere around it. People are anxious, and conversations quickly turn to climate change, fires, drought, and the future. I share many of these concerns, but I can also feel myself absorbing the fear and urgency around me.
This is showing up at work, too. Meetings, deadlines, and expectations continue, even though everyone seems more tired and less focused. I want to remain calm and responsible without ignoring what is happening or feeling as though I have to carry the weight of the whole crisis.
How do I stay aware and engaged without becoming overwhelmed by the heat and everyone else's fear?
Trying to Keep My Cool
Dear Trying to Keep My Cool,
You are navigating both the physical heat and the emotional temperature around it. Your body is adapting, your mind is processing legitimate concerns, and your nervous system is picking up the fear of others. No wonder you feel affected. Remaining calm does not mean you do not care. Panic is not the only proof of concern. In fact, steadiness may help you respond more wisely.
I pulled four Courage Cards for you. Let them serve as orientation points. You do not need to force meaning. Simply notice what resonates from the images and these reflections, and allow the rest to fall away.
Your Strength: Notice the Good Times
One of your strengths is your ability to still recognize life beyond the crisis. A cool evening breeze, a meaningful conversation, a moment of laughter, or a satisfying piece of work all matter. The good moments are not distractions from reality. They are part of reality. They remind you what you care about and what is worth protecting.
What’s Already Working in Your Favor: Make It Easy
You are already adapting by drinking water, changing your schedule, and listening to your body. Keep making things easier. At work, shorten meetings, postpone what is not urgent, take more breaks, and release the pressure to perform exactly as usual. You do not need to make a difficult experience harder in order to prove your commitment. You can care deeply without carrying every headline, prediction, and frightened conversation.
Where You’re Being Asked to Grow: Strong Is Supple
This may be harder for you to do, but see if you can lean into a sense of internal strength that does not mean remaining unaffected or forcing yourself to maintain your normal pace. It means adjusting without losing your center. At work, this may look like saying, "The heat is affecting everyone's energy. Let us simplify what truly needs to be done today." Rigidity asks, "How do I keep everything the same?" Supple strength asks, "What does this moment require?"
Action That Would Be Good to Take: Dig Deeper
Your deeper concern may be about responsibility. How much should you carry? What does it mean to be a caring person during a climate crisis? Identify what is specifically yours to address. Perhaps there is a practical change you want to make, an organization you want to support, or a workplace conversation you want to initiate.
Also ask whether part of you believes that staying calm means you are not taking the situation seriously. Worry can feel like action, but it is not always useful action. Separate genuine responsibility from emotional over-responsibility.
Bringing It All Together:
You do not have to choose between awareness and wellbeing.
Notice the good times because they remind you what matters. Make it easy because your body and mind are working harder. Stay supple because changing conditions require adaptation. Dig deeper so that concern becomes grounded action rather than generalized fear.
At work, practice honest acknowledgment, humane expectations, and thoughtful prioritization. You are not required to panic in order to prove that you care. The world does not need you carrying all of its weight. It needs you present, responsive, and willing to take the next wise step.
I hope that this helps and uplifts you!
In loving support and courage,
AGNES
The four-card method for accessing Courage Card guidance is informed by Inner Bonding® and draws inspiration from the “Strength, Heart, Challenge” three-card spread, a widely used reflective framework popularized by author Kyle Gray.