Resilient By Design
Resilient by Design is a journal of exploration into the inherent resilience of the world around us—how systems naturally adapt, regenerate, and thrive by design. It invites you to uncover these awe-inspiring patterns of existence and rewrite our personal and collective narratives with wisdom, strength, and intention.
Articles by Pillar
Everything is connected.
Everything is connected.
Why the Outrage When Women Soar? Unpacking the Biased Backlash Against Blue Origin's All-Female NS-31 Flight
Male billionaires soared into space with barely a whisper. But the all-female crew of Blue Origin's NS-31, including medical innovator Amanda Nguyen and flight safety researcher Aisha Bowe, ignited a firestorm of environmental criticism.
What the Past Teaches Us About Balance: Timeless Lessons for Modern Lives
In today’s fast-paced world, balance can feel elusive. Our lives are often marked by extremes—relentless schedules, information overload, and an insatiable drive for progress that leaves little room for reflection. Yet, history tells us that balance is not a novel pursuit; it has been a cornerstone of human survival and flourishing for millennia. From ancient philosophies to ingenious innovations, our ancestors offer profound lessons on how to live in harmony with ourselves, each other, and the world around us.
The Polynesian Wayfinders: Masters of the Stars and Sea
Centuries before the invention of compasses or GPS, the Polynesian wayfinders—master navigators of the Pacific Ocean—embarked on epic voyages across thousands of miles of open sea. With no modern instruments to guide them, they relied on the stars, the wind, ocean swells, and an intimate knowledge of nature to chart courses between distant islands.
Nature’s Cycles: Restoring Balance by Working With Life’s Rhythms
Nature operates on a foundation of cycles. From the water cycle that replenishes rivers and aquifers to the carbon cycle that fuels plant growth and regulates the climate, every element works together in dynamic, self-sustaining systems.
Adaptation and Resilience: How Nature Rebuilds and Evolves
Nature is the ultimate model of resilience. From coral reefs rebuilding after bleaching events to trees flourishing in arid climates, ecosystems show us that survival isn’t about avoiding challenges—it’s about adapting to them.
Why Equity Matters for Climate Justice
When we talk about climate change, we often focus on rising temperatures, melting ice caps, and disappearing species. But beneath these headlines lies another truth: the burden of climate change is not shared equally.
Food as Connection
Food is more than sustenance—it’s a language that speaks across cultures, a thread that ties people to their history, their land, and each other.
The Overview Effect: Lessons from Space Explorers
Imagine gazing at Earth from hundreds of miles above its surface. The continents stretch out like intricate puzzle pieces, oceans swirl in endless patterns, and the thin blue line of the atmosphere clings delicately to the planet.
Cosmic Cycles: What the Stars Teach Us About Balance
In the vast expanse of the cosmos, there’s an order to the seeming chaos—a rhythm that governs the movements of planets, moons, and stars.
How the Universe Shaped Life on Earth
What if the atoms in your body were ancient travelers, forged in the heart of stars billions of years ago? Every element heavier than hydrogen and helium, from the oxygen you breathe to the calcium in your bones, was created in the fiery cores of stars.
Light Across Time—The Story of the Universe Through Starlight
Billions of years ago, light from the first stars began its journey across the cosmos. That light, traveling vast distances, carries with it the story of the universe’s origins, evolution, and future.
5 Simple Ways to Live in Harmony with Nature
How often do we pause to think about the systems that sustain our lives? The oxygen you’re breathing right now might have been produced by a rainforest thousands of miles away.
How Local Actions Drive Global Change
What if the solutions to our greatest environmental challenges weren’t hidden in distant negotiations or top-down mandates, but in the everyday ingenuity of neighbors, farmers, students, and entrepreneurs?
Small Steps for Planetary Impact
In a world facing urgent environmental challenges, the path forward isn’t just about sweeping reforms—it’s about rethinking the little things we do every day.
How Small Pauses Create Big Ripples
In the constant rhythm of daily life, it’s easy to overlook the power of a single moment. Yet within each pause lies an opportunity—an invitation to reset, reconnect, and reimagine how we engage with the world.
Neuroplasticity and the Rare Moments That Change Everything
Most efforts to change don’t stick, while certain moments reshape the brain permanently. Understanding when and how neuroplasticity is most effective is the difference between reinforcing old patterns and deliberately creating new ones.
Rediscover the Web of Life
In every corner of life, a profound truth unfolds: we are all connected. From the roots of ancient forests to the intricate dance of ecosystems and the shared breath of humanity, the threads of interconnection shape our world.