A Line I Heard

"'Yes and...' has helped me to get along better with my brother."

Journey Framing:

This came from a cleantech leader after performing in “How on Earth? LIVE!”

She came to learn improv for a climate show. Turns out “Yes and…” doesn't care which relationship you're practicing.

Let's move through it together. To build language for real conversations.

Starting with "Notice"...

NOTICE

What happens when you read this quote?

Maybe you feel the surprise of it. You were expecting something about climate. And someone's talking about her brother.

Or maybe you recognize the feeling when a skill you picked up for one reason works somewhere else entirely.

Whatever's showing up, just notice it's there.

CONNECT

Keep in mind that "yes and" is not people pleasing or blind agreement. It's the hard skill of seeing what's real and building on it instead of shutting it down.

Here's what Embodiment knows: you can feel the difference in your body when a conversation shifts from blocking to building. Something loosens. People lean in. Something becomes possible that wasn't there a moment before.

Climate is a relationship. So relationship skills help us with climate conversations and challenging connections with brothers.

TRY

This week, try this:

Notice one conversation (climate or otherwise) where you default to "no," "yes but," or "yes however."

Try "Yes and…" instead. Accept what's real. Add one thing.

Notice what happens. In the room. In your body. In the other person.

And if you want to say "Yes and…" to a bigger room for this skill, voting for the SXSW talk closes THIS Sunday, August 23rd.

https://participate.sxsw.com/flow/sxsw/sxsw27/community-voting-sxsw/page/community-voting/session/1784738341449001ZGMH

REST

You don't have to "Yes and…" everything.

Some things deserve a firm no. The skill is practicing to get a sense of when the difference is.

& REPEAT

Watch for this pattern elsewhere.

When people start practicing, some common mistakes include asking for permission instead of bringing enthusiasm, saying "Yes and…" but really meaning "yes but," or asking a question that diverts instead of builds.

Each time you catch one, give it another go.

In Community,

Amber Peoples

Creator of Earth Archetypes

p.s. Voting for the “The ‘Yes And’ Path to Climate Storytelling” talk at SXSW 2027 closes THIS Sunday, August 23rd. Let’s share this relationship skill within the climate track.

If you aren’t already signed up to the SxSW system, you will need to for voting. Here's 75 second video to walk you through the 4 steps.