Resistance must be strategic, tactical and bold, but resilience will sustain us.
The news headlines are stark and unyielding. For those of us that value climate justice and action, we're witnessing unprecedented attacks on programs that protect clean air, water, public lands -- and our health. As Ezra Klein points out in this op-ed from the NYT, the overwhelm is the point. Steve Bannon uses the term "muzzle velocity" to describe the frenetic speed of executive orders. In my books about eco-anxiety, I define the term as a generalized anxiety about the future we're leaving the next generation.
How do we keep up? How do we protect our communities? How do we not lose hope?
We know to call our member of Congress, reach out to our financial institutions, stand up for diversity, equity, and inclusion, protect the people we love who are at risk, and follow the news. Your daily practice of sustainability, your #onegreenthing, can ease eco-anxiety, strengthen your community, and also help create the culture change we need for a healthier, greener, more equitable world.
How we spend our days, how will fill our calendars, how we show up for the people we love matters. My Linked In Newsletter is called "We Can Be Heroes." It's inspired by the iconic song by David Bowie, but also this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt:
We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down. – Eleanor Roosevelt
To have the fortitude to stare down what's ahead, we must prioritize resilience. Here's how:
5 Principles of Resilience
Take time for rest
Embrace creativity
Lean into community
Speak Up
Organize locally
Take Time for Rest
It's easy to experience burn out when so much we care about it and people who love are at risk and being attacked. If we're too exhausted to pay attention, we can lose hope. The secret is to pace yourself. Unplug and rest.
More and more companies are having conversations about "human sustainability"- the connection between burnout, political divisiveness, climate change, racial and social injustice, and productivity.Deloitte's 2024 report on human sustainability declares that employees want to contribute value to societal good, not just shareholders profits. Well-being expert and report author Jen Fisher states that most organizations "are stuck in a legacy mindset that centers on extracting value from people rather than working with them to create a better future for organizations and individuals alike." Resting avoids burnout and promotes well-being. Tune into this conversation with Jen and the OneGreenThing team during Climate Week 2024 about Cultivating Well-being in a Warmer World.
Embrace Creativity
Art is a powerful way to manage stress. Whether it's listening to music, going to see live music, playing an instrument, writing poetry, or doodling, taking time to let your creative juices flow, creativity can help restore your spirit and bring a sense of calm. A 2021 study published in the Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, entitled "Being Creative Makes You Happier: The Positive Effect of Creativity on Subjective Well-Being" of more than 300 adults concluded:
Studies have found a bidirectional relationship between creativity and well-being. On the one hand, well-being was found to promote creativity on the other hand, creativity is conducive to well-being.
To create a more space for creativity in my daily life, I've actually put time on the calendar for it. A group of friends and I get together once a week to have an hour of creative time. Whether it's baking, drawing, sewing, or writing, we gather to do something unproductive and creative. When was the last time you sketched? journaled? danced? just listened to music? sang?
In Julia Cameron's The Artists Way, she recommends planning a date with yourself each week to nuture your creativity. Go for a walk, listen to a concert, visit the library, go see an art exhibit or a museum, or try a new dish. Make time for your creativity to foster a sense of well-being and resilience.
Lean into Community
I write about the importance of getting to know your neighbors. During Hurricane Helene and the recent LA fires, we witnessed neighbors not simply helping, but actually rescuing one another. Have an open house or organize a block party. Collect contact information for folks on your block or in your apartment area. Get to know who lives next to you. Have a go kit ready and memorize important phone numbers.
More and more people lack the "third spaces" - a space outside work or home where we hang out. These used to be places of worship, bowling alleys, local bars, cafes, or service clubs. Fifty years ago, these third spaces helped define American culture, but many spaces took a big hit during the pandemic. Intentionally create your third space and be mindful about where and how and you want to show up. Check out this article from Vox's Allie Volpe on the mental health benefits of cultivating a third space.
Consider having friends over for Sunday night dinners. These nights are usually open even for hectic families and it's often nice not to have to cook the night before. Start a dinner, book, or a game club. Join a civic, faith-based, or service organization. Or hang out at a local coffee shop, bar, or cafe.
Speak Up
Call your members of Congress at (202) 224-3121 to let them know how you feel about current events, attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion, climate justice, and the you know, Article I of the Constitution.
Talk to friends and family and let them know how you feel, what it means to you and your family, and why you strongly believe in climate action. Take the Service Superpower Assessment, embrace your daily practice of sustainability, and support your local land trusts, conservation groups, and climate justice groups.
You can find more ideas on how to take action and fight authoritarianism here.
Organize Locally
Support your local library by attending events. Show up at your school board, zoning board, or water control board. Consider getting involved by running for office. Express your opinions on sustainability, conservation, and climate action. Let local officials hear your concerns, even if they disagree with you. Find the local service organizations in your neighborhood -- community gardens, faith based groups, book clubs, sewing clubs, and connect.
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