- Climate change and climate disaster has been a seemingly constant presence in our mainstream news lately.
- Over the last few years, phrases like “existential dread” or “climate stress” have entered into our vernacular to categorize and make sense of the complex feelings that individuals are experiencing about the world at large.
- Feeling the weight of the world as an individual can be overwhelming. This blog contains some guidance for how to manage existential dread and stress about climate change.
- Try to think about what actions are actually up to you. What can you do in your neighborhood or city to contribute to positive change? Taking realistic action is one way to manage stress and have a sense of agency in a complex world.
Over the last week, the news has reflected climate disasters happening around our country: fires in California, flooding in Kentucky, and the great salt lakes of Utah drying up. However you get your news, it can be overwhelming to learn of such devastation happening around us. Over the last few years, phrases like “existential dread” or “climate stress” have entered into our vernacular to categorize and make sense of the complex feelings that individuals are experiencing about the world at large. And while there is some relief in knowing that there are enough other people out there who are experiencing the same feelings to create a new vocabulary around it, having tools to process through those feelings might be helpful too.
Pause. One characteristic of existential dread and climate stress are the spiraling thoughts that deposit us into an unpleasant (and constructed) reality. When these thoughts begin, imagine yourself literally hitting a pause button. It can be hard to contribute meaningful work to climate justice efforts when operating from a place of fear or mental exhaustion. Allow yourself to exist in a calm mind so that you have the energy to act.
Set Boundaries. Boundaries are the distances we create between people, between news, between places so that we can still love in a way that is safe and sustainable for us. If climate change and climate disaster are topics that you care about and want to continue to care about for a long time, then setting boundaries with how much news you read in a day (as an example) will help you with that longevity.
Grieve Freely. Part of climate change and climate disaster is loss. There have been losses of human life, of cherished homes and community space, of pets and farms, and of feeling secure on earth. Allow yourself to grieve these losses freely. Even if the losses are not yours personally, you are part of a world that is losing and that grief touches all of us.
Open Up. You are probably not the only person in your life struggling with these feelings or feeling stuck in how you affect change. Talk to those in your life that you trust about how you’re feeling and be willing to accept support. This can also be one way of finding out about activism opportunities in your community that feel meaningful to take part in. Change is not accomplished one person at a time – so there is no logic in putting all the pressure on yourself or to go through change making alone.
Accept. Recognize that climate change and climate disaster is bigger than just one individual or one organizing community. Work towards a realistic understanding of what work is yours and what work is out of your hands. Accepting this distinction might cause you to feel loss and grief. Welcome those feelings and process through them.
Appreciate. Make space for the beauty and strength of our world. Go for a walk, listen to sounds of the ocean or the chirps of birds. Cloud watch. Not to be corny, but go smell the flowers. This is not a fight that will be won by submitting to a deficit perspective.
Mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa na msiba wa hali ya hewa imekuwa uwepo wa kawaida katika habari zetu kuu hivi karibuni. Katika miaka michache iliyopita, misemo kama vile "hofu ya kuwepo" au "mkazo wa hali ya hewa" imeingia katika lugha yetu ya kawaida kuainisha na kufahamu hisia tata ambazo watu binafsi wanakabiliwa nazo kuhusu ulimwengu kwa ujumla. - Kuhisi uzito wa ulimwengu kama mtu binafsi kunaweza kuwa jambo lenye kulemea. Blogi hii ina mwongozo wa jinsi ya kusimamia hofu ya kuwepo na mkazo juu ya mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa. - Jaribu kufikiria ni matendo gani ambayo kwa kweli yanategemea wewe. Unaweza kufanya nini katika ujirani wako au jiji ili kuchangia mabadiliko mazuri? Kuchukua hatua ya kweli ni njia moja ya kudhibiti mkazo na kuwa na hisia ya shirika katika ulimwengu tata. Katika wiki iliyopita, habari zimeonyesha majanga ya hali ya hewa yanayotokea kote nchini mwetu: moto huko California, mafuriko huko Kentucky, na maziwa makubwa ya chumvi ya Utah yakikauka. Hata hivyo, habari za habari za leo zinaweza kuwa zenye kusikitisha sana, kwa sababu zinaonyesha jinsi mambo yalivyo mbaya sana katika ulimwengu wetu. Katika miaka michache iliyopita, misemo kama vile "hofu ya kuwepo" au "mkazo wa hali ya hewa" imeingia katika lugha yetu ya kawaida kuainisha na kuelewa hisia tata ambazo watu wana uzoefu juu ya ulimwengu kwa ujumla. Na wakati kuna kitulizo fulani katika kujua kwamba kuna watu wengine wa kutosha huko nje ambao wanakabiliwa na hisia sawa za kuunda msamiati mpya kuzunguka, kuwa na zana za kusindika kupitia hisia hizo inaweza kuwa na msaada pia. Pumzika kidogo. Moja ya sifa ya hofu ya kuwepo na mkazo wa hali ya hewa ni mawazo ya mzunguko ambayo hutuweka katika hali halisi isiyo ya kupendeza (na iliyojengwa). Wakati mawazo haya yanaanza, fikiria wewe mwenyewe ukibonyeza kifungo cha kusimamisha. Inaweza kuwa ngumu kuchangia kazi yenye maana kwa juhudi za haki ya hali ya hewa wakati unafanya kazi kutoka mahali pa hofu au uchovu wa akili. Jiruhusu uwepo katika akili ya utulivu ili uwe na nishati ya kutenda. Weka Mipaka. """Mipaka ni umbali tunaouumba kati ya watu, kati ya habari, kati ya maeneo, ili tuweze kupenda kwa njia ambayo ni salama na endelevu kwetu.""" Kama mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa na majanga ya hali ya hewa ni mada ambayo wewe kujali na unataka kuendelea kujali kwa muda mrefu, kisha kuweka mipaka na kiasi cha habari kusoma katika siku moja (kwa mfano) itakusaidia na maisha ya muda mrefu. Huzuni kwa uhuru. Sehemu ya mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa na msiba wa hali ya hewa ni hasara. Kumekuwa na hasara za maisha ya kibinadamu, nyumba za kupendwa na nafasi ya jamii, wanyama wa kufugwa na mashamba, na kujisikia salama duniani. Jiruhusu uomboleze hasara hizo kwa uhuru. Hata kama hasara hizo si zako binafsi, wewe ni sehemu ya ulimwengu ambao unapoteza na huzuni hiyo inatuathiri sisi sote. Fungua. Labda si wewe tu katika maisha yako anayepambana na hisia hizi au kuhisi umekwama katika jinsi unavyoathiri mabadiliko. Zungumza na wale katika maisha yako ambao unaamini kuhusu jinsi unavyohisi na uwe tayari kukubali msaada. Hii pia inaweza kuwa njia moja ya kujua kuhusu fursa za uendeshaji katika jamii yako ambayo kuhisi maana ya kushiriki katika. Mabadiliko hayafanyiwi mtu mmoja kwa wakati <unk> kwa hivyo hakuna mantiki katika kuweka shinikizo lote juu yako mwenyewe au kupitia kufanya mabadiliko peke yako. Kukubali. "Kutambua kwamba mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa na msiba wa hali ya hewa ni kubwa kuliko mtu mmoja au jamii moja ya kuandaa.""" Fanya kazi kwa uelewa wa kweli wa kazi gani ni yako na kazi gani ni nje ya mikono yako. Kukubali tofauti hiyo kwaweza kukusababisha uhisi hasara na huzuni. Karibu hisia hizo na uzifanye. Ninathamini hilo. Fanya nafasi kwa ajili ya uzuri na nguvu ya ulimwengu wetu. Nenda kutembea, usikilize sauti za bahari au ndege wanaopiga kelele. Angalia mawingu. Si kuwa corny, lakini kwenda harufu maua. Hii si mapigano ambayo yatashindwa kwa kujisalimisha kwa mtazamo wa upungufu.