I combined two newsletters into one. Expect salty stories and sweet creative energy around being here for each other as things escalate.
This is the first issue of the combined Collapse Companion here on Substack. Whether you were previously subscribed to Collapse Into Joy or Collapse Companion—or both— you have been lovingly included here.
So, first things first: I am so grateful you are here. It means a lot to me that you are reading this right now. Thank you.
Complexity calls for simplicity. So this is the one place for the Collapse Companioning™ client stories, shared ideas and techniques, and learnings from conversations along the way.
I won’t have a schedule for new posts. It might be every other week, or twice a week, depending on what’s going on. Thank you in advance for your tolerance for uncertainty around that! I want to stay attuned to when I have something worth sharing…and when I don’t. :-)
What I've Been Up To: Processing, Arrivals and Gatherings
I have spent the last four months processing information about what’s happening, working with clients who are transforming their way of thinking/living/acting during this time, and participating in/speaking at gatherings focused on collapse.
1. Also, back in February/March, I spent a month in the U.S. visiting my oldest daughter and her family in California for the last time.
Because in April, they all moved here to Amsterdam!
I now have three daughters living within easy walking distance here after many years of us being scattered across four continents. It has required a lot of adapting to find new homes, start new jobs or businesses, get enrolled in Dutch schools/daycare, and adjust to life in a new place, new culture, and new language.
But it has been beyond thrilling to be together after so long.
Chatting with my youngest grandchild.
Many are curious about this intentional decision to move close to each other. Some feel inspired by it. Some wonder why in the world we would go to so much trouble to make such big changes when we were pretty happy where we were.
But having some sort of Plan B in mind is becoming more common. Sometimes it’s just a comforting idea, or something to dream about, but for most of those I talk to, it’s a real plan with an actual date and things already in motion.
Listen, there is no perfect place, and no place that is fully protected from the changes that are coming.
But being close to loved ones is our priority, and choosing a small country with a strong social support structure, a healthy and high-quality lifestyle, and a history of tackling big challenges intelligently feels like a smart move.
2. I’ve been having conversations with many collapsologists, including those who have expertise in subjects like risk analysis, economic frailty, societal shifts, ecological indicators, and climate probabilities.
I attended (and spoke at) the World Adaptation Forum in Budapest in April. It is not an event for those who are afraid of clear-as-day graphs and no-nonsense discussions!
Because the news is, well, just as you’re likely sensing it is. We are on the precipice of extreme turbulence in systems that are so entangled that we cannot accurately predict the extent of the impacts.
But we know for sure that things are going to get harder soon for most of us, and extremely challenging for many.
Considering the current blocking of what is needed for energy and food production, the looming (and expected to be severely damaging) El Niño this summer, and the heightened and dangerous uncertainty around the political and financial situations in the U.S. and elsewhere, we will likely feel serious effects, no matter where we are, in the next few months.
3. And I have been asking people everywhere how they are feeling and what choices they are making at this pivotal moment.
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I listen to those who are moving to the countryside and buying land to grow their own food. (A note: it generally takes far more land to do this than you might expect.)
And I listen to others who are moving to smaller places in more urban areas because they don’t want to be reliant upon cars. They feel it is safer to be in a city with more reliable distribution of food and needed services than rural areas can offer.
I listen to people who are quitting their jobs and choosing to dramatically downsize to a simpler, less expensive lifestyle, either where they are or in a more affordable community, state, or country.
I chat with those who have lost their jobs due to funding cuts or AI or a shrinking economy.
And I hear from people of all ages who are choosing to move in with friends, combining resources so that everyone can live with more ease and shared amenities.
There are folks who are regenerating land, starting small local co-ops, and learning skills and setting up systems for things like rainwater catchment and solar everything.
They are exploring various types of alternative housing, and taking lessons to learn how to weave, ferment, sew, or repair.
But there are also many, even among the experts I talk to, who are feeling paralyzed.
Clear on the facts, but unsure how to act. (These are the people I help.)
Either waiting to see what happens next before making a plan, or digging in and accepting whatever happens right where they are.
Some are holding on to the idea that things might improve once we get a new president/policy/fill-in-the-blank.
Most are doubting that things will get better in their lifetime, and they are just trying to live a good life and provide for their loved ones for as long as possible….whether they choose to change anything or not.
I share all of this to let you know that it is not at all unusual to be aware of our reality AND not yet making any moves. If that's you, you are certainly not alone!
And you are in the right place.
Because here’s what I plan to do with this newsletter:
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explore options and actions that many of us might not see clearly
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share stories from those who are making changes—or not—and why
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offer tools that I use to help others create ways to live fully now while also leaning toward what’s needed next.
And I am asking you, dear reader, to either comment below or send me a message at maya@mayafrost.com to let me know how YOU are doing, what YOU are thinking, and if YOU are making any decisions or changes (and if so, what).
Thank you for being here, and for being open to sharing your own experience with me.
I so appreciate you.
xo Maya
Maya Frost, founder of Collapse Forward
P.S. For those in The Netherlands (or this part of Europe), I will be speaking at Integra (Integraevent.life) here in Amsterdam this Sunday! Let me know if you’re planning to be there. (Or just come over and say hi!)
