How to deal with eco anxiety

Do you sometimes worry about the future of our planet? What will happen to the world, to us? Will we still manage to save the earth? Will there be wars over food? Will we even have enough living space? Is it even fair to bring children into the world? Such thoughts and fears are summarized under the term “ eco anxiety ”. Feelings such as sadness or despair can also arise. But it is sometimes very difficult to get rid of these thoughts and feelings and to look positively towards the future…

Today I want to share options and tips with you to help you deal with these environmental worries and thoughts. 

I find Greta Thunberg's statement "I want you to panic" during a speech to parliament justified - if it is aimed at politicians and world leaders who are hesitant about climate policy or climate change even deny.
However, we ourselves should not “panic”. We can all feel pressure to act without immediately panicking. 

If we are in a state of fear, panic or stress, we can no longer think clearly. We are unable to make rational decisions. How should we manage to sustainably change the way we treat the planet? 

We all know headlines like “The ice is melting”, “We have 10 years to change something – otherwise everything will be lost” or One million species are threatened with extinction”. How can you not be worried when you read something like that? Grief and despair are also natural reactions to such news. It is all the more incomprehensible that some leading personalities seem to want to do nothing. After all, at some point the survival of our species will depend on the earth's resources...

How do I deal with eco anxiety?

1. Acceptance

Acceptance is probably the hardest step in this whole thing. Acceptance here doesn't mean just sitting back and watching. Rather, it is about accepting that a certain duality exists. If we want to keep our eco anxiety at bay, we must learn to live with the positive AND the negative emotions. We don't have to condone or dwell on the negative emotions, but we can acknowledge that they are there. Try to approach the matter carefully. It is entirely human to feel fear. But we don't have to identify with this fear. Let it be there, and then let it go again.

It can also help against eco anxiety to think of a mantra that you can recite when you are overwhelmed by such thoughts, e.g.: “God/Universe/…, give me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.”

2. Change your perspective

In the same way that we must accept that bad things can happen, we must also accept that good things can happen. This is usually not that easy, especially when we are surrounded by a dystopian perspective. News, books, documentaries - everyone seems to believe in the apocalypse. These images quickly enter our heads. And because our heads think in images, it is difficult to get rid of these images. It is clear that in today's world we no longer have a positive, colorful and happy image of the future...

But why don't we change that? What if we relied entirely on renewable energy? If every roof and every house were decorated with plants? What if these green spaces were used to grow organic food that could supply the entire neighborhood? If we worked WITH nature instead of working against it?

We must transform the dystopian image of eco anxiety into a utopian image. This helps us realize what we are fighting for. A completely different feeling arises within us when we have a clear picture of what exactly we are committed to instead of simply thinking about survival. Having a concrete picture in our head also helps us when we have conversations with people who don't think much about our planet. In addition, it is easier for us to take action when we have a clear vision in mind.

So take a moment to dream or journal about how beautiful the future could be. Describe the image you have in mind in great detail. What does your picture of a beautiful, green future look like? You can always return to this image in difficult situations to remind yourself of what you are committed to.

3. Exchange ideas and find support

A feeling of being overwhelmed is often accompanied by a feeling of loneliness. It always helps us to hear that we are not alone with our worries and fears. Confide in your loved ones and share your feelings. 

If the people around you can't really understand your thoughts, it can also help to find a community with people who think similarly to you. On Facebook, for example, there are some groups in which we discuss zero waste and sustainable solutions becomes. In almost every city in Germany there are now regular meetings where you can exchange ideas about everything with like-minded people! 

The Fridays For Future demos are also a good opportunity to get in touch with like-minded people. Plus, they provide a whole lot of hope!

That brings me directly to the next point:

4. Find the positive

We always reflect, inside and out, what we surround ourselves with every day. When we binge-watch the news from morning to night, it's no wonder we feel like there's only bad in the world...so look for the positive! This is not to say that we should simply ignore the negative things that happen around us. But we can all decide how much of it we let in and where we focus our attention to protect ourselves. 

Follow accounts on social media that have a positive outlook on things and that make you feel hopeful. Surround yourself with people who give you strength instead of taking it away from you. This not only makes you positive, but also motivates you.

5. Get active

There is probably nothing better to combat the fears and worries of eco anxiety than taking action yourself. If you actively support the environment, you are not only showing yourself that something can change. Nobody expects you to no longer produce any waste from tomorrow, eat a completely vegan diet or go to the sea to fish plastic out of the water. 

Even small changes can make a difference! Think of ways that feel good and doable for you and put them into action. It's perfectly fine to start small. On our sustainability blog you will find numerous tips and lots of inspiration for concrete things that you can change.

Eco anxiety can also arise because we feel the pressure to be perfect and don't want to allow ourselves to make any mistakes because then the world could end and everything would be our fault. Rationally speaking, such thoughts are of course nonsense. But once we get into a spiral of fear, such thoughts are not that unlikely. 

None of us are perfect. Do what you can. Even if that initially just means getting a reusable coffee cup. You can always go one step further from there. But you don’t have to become “perfect” overnight. Anything is better than nothing  .

If you would like to find out more about the environment and sustainability, mindfulness or healthy eating, take a look here over.