Climate change is stressful. Your future is uncertain, and it is normal to feel stressed about that. The trick is not to let the stress overwhelm you. If you are overwhelmed it's harder to believe in the future, you deserve. With that being said, here are some tips to help you cope with climate distress:
Take action. Get involved in community activist groups. Go to protests. Reach out to politicians. Educate your friends and family. Do something that will make a change. Taking action can help you relieve stress by making you feel like you are actually working towards a positive future.
Focus on what you can do. Taking action is great, but you don’t know what to do, and if you try to do too much it can become overwhelming. You want to avoid that. Just start small. In other words, do what you can, with what you have. At least do that for now and see where that leads.
Take a break. At some point you need to step back, and recharge. Even if it is for a short while. Tear yourself away from the news and social media. Try not to talk to your friends about it. Just pretend it doesn't exist for a bit. When you are feeling ready and renewed, reconnect.
Find support. It’s scary and overwhelming, but especially if you try to face it alone. Find people who are also passionate about it. Share your ideas and plans with them. Even rant to them Having a supporting community around you will make things a bit more bearable.
Support yourself. This is support. You are fighting a tough battle. You need to be your own best friend and not your own worst enemy. Take time to reflect on what you have learnt and done and celebrate the small things you have achieved. Don’t be harsh yourself - mentally judging, criticising and beating yourself up won’t help. Get plenty of sleep and eat well, you need to take care of your mind and body if you are going to be strong.
Don’t give up hope. Yes, there is hope. You are not alone - the climate activism movement is growing. The future seems bleak, but change is happening, it just takes time to see it. Remember to take things one step at a time; small actions can have a large impact. There is still hope.
Don’t give up.
Change your perspective and uncover a way forward for you!
A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet by Sarah Jaquette Ray The first "existential toolkit" for combating eco-guilt and burnout while advocating for climate justice.
The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac A cautionary but optimistic book about the world's changing climate and the fate of humanity.
All We Can Save edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine Wilkinson
All We Can Save is a collection of essays and poetry that highlight a wide range of women's voices in the environmental movement.
Great Films
I Am Greta
Greta starts school striking for the climate. She skips school and sit outside the parliament to show the politicians that if they don't care about her future, why should she?
2040 Concerned about his young daughter's future, filmmaker Damon Gameau travels the world in search of new approaches and solutions to climate change.
Don't Look Up
Two low-level astronomers must go on a giant media tour to warn mankind of an approaching comet that will destroy planet Earth.
Climate Focused Future
Climate anxiety- being scared or nervous about our planet- is a totally normal reaction. These are the host's tips for dealing with climate anxiety!
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