Have you ever felt overwhelmed, sad, or anxious about climate change? What brought on those feelings?
All the time! Climate change is really scary and I think there is a lot to be sad about. I often find myself grieving my future, the losses from natural disasters, and the lives of so many people that will be affected. It makes me really anxious that we don’t have a clear end in sight. It’s so hard to know that we have the solutions to this problem but it seems like nobody is implementing them, and that feels very out of my control.
How do you cope with the emotions that come up when you think about the climate crisis?
I try to let myself really feel the emotions I am having. I tell the people around me what is making me feel sad, frustrated, or scared, and I try to engage in conversations about climate change. Once I feel like I was able to process those emotions and sit with them for a bit, I then push myself to try and move forward. I remind myself that I am doing my part to address climate change and there are lots of things to still feel good about.
What are your self-care practices? Share how you are taking care of your well-being.
Outside of the dedicated time in my day that I have to think and learn about climate change, I make a very conscious effort to not engage with climate change content. I spend my climate-free time watching silly TV shows, reading, writing, and playing music. If climate emotions creep in to those climate-free moments, I let them, but I try to not let them become the central focus. I also find that a walk outside almost always makes me feel better.
