If You’re Just Getting Started in Diplomacy

Start small and seek mentorship to navigate challenges.

Let’s start with the truth.

This work is hard. Especially when you’re new.

I’ve watched Indigenous delegates arrive full of fire. Passion. Ready to take it all on.

Three months later, they’re burnt out. Questioning if they made any difference at all.

Not because they weren’t strong enough. Not because they didn’t care.

But because they tried to do everything.

Every meeting. Every protest. Every crisis.

And in the process, they lost track of why they came. And what they were uniquely here to do.

The Pressure Is Real

Let’s not pretend.

At major events like climate conferences, corporate interests have teams of well-rested people working in shifts.

We don’t get that luxury.

By day three, our people are on fumes.

I’ve seen crucial Indigenous language disappear from text because the one person watching it got pulled into another room.

That’s not a failure of care. That’s a failure of structure.

Without a strategy, the system will eat your energy and leave you wondering why you’re here.

This isn’t just about burnout. It’s about outcomes.

If you’re too tired to think clearly, you miss things. If you’re too scattered, you drop key relationships. And when that happens, our work loses ground.

So let’s talk about how to move smarter.

Six Things to Get You Grounded

If you’re just stepping in—or if you’ve been in the grind and feel like it’s slipping—this is for you.

1. Pick your battles.
You cannot do it all. And no one expects you to. Choose the fights that call you. Stay focused. Let the rest pass.

2. Build relationships.
This work runs on trust. Get to know people. Even those outside your lane. Especially those outside your lane.

3. Study. Then study more.
Know the files. Know the history. Know the opposition. You don’t have to be perfect. But be informed.

4. Stay close to the issue.
If you care about land rights, stay in that thread. If it’s climate, stay there. One inch wide, one mile deep. Not the other way around.

5. Use your voice. And protect your energy.
Speak when it matters. Hold your line. But be ready for pushback. Know when to engage. And when to step back.

6. Stay in the work.
You don’t have to be everywhere every time. But don’t disappear. The longer you stay, the more powerful you get.

Before You Go

Don’t let the chaos pull you under.

Start small. Choose one issue. Learn it deeply.

Find someone who’s been in the work longer. Ask questions. Listen to the stories. Learn the shortcuts. Learn the traps.

We’ve made progress with less than most.

What moves us forward isn’t just passion. It’s staying power.

So take breaks. Reconnect. Practice your culture. Rest without quitting.

You are not alone in this.

The movement needs your voice. Your clarity. Your rhythm.

One step at a time. One meeting at a time.

That’s the move.

See you next week.