Before I started beach cleanups, I wasn’t sure they’d actually make a meaningful or lasting difference. I mean, how much change can really happen in one day a month?

After a year and a half of showing up, I’ve learned that these cleanups are about something so much more than that change I had originally imagined. They’re about slow growth….the kind that takes time, consistency, care, failure, and learning. The kind that starts inside of us, then moves outward into our communities, and maybe even into the world.

So no, it’s not really just about a beach staying clean. It’s about what happens when we choose to care. When we show up for something that may never be “done,” but still matters. When we train ourselves to notice, to respond, to not look away.

And what I’m also learning is this: it applies to more than just the beach.

What are you in the middle of right now that feels hopeless, stuck, or slow to shift? What’s something you’ve been showing up for, even if you’re not sure it’s working?

Growth doesn’t always look like big results. Sometimes it’s just choosing to stay with it, to keep showing up, even when you can’t yet see the change.