3 Action Items to Help Mitigate Your Eco-Anxiety
Taking care of the planet does not mean you should stop taking care of yourself.
Whether it be a walk enveloped by the greenery of sky-scraping sequoias or a dip in the blue waters of the coastline, moments in nature can ignite a deep-rooted appreciation for Mother Earth. There is an undeniable smallness we feel when surrounded by natural environments paired with an innate desire to protect the land and ecosystems that form them. Yet, as the realities of climate change and fatal consequences unravel, it is only natural to experience eco-anxiety as a result. But, what is eco-anxiety exactly?
It is a relatively new concept that has swept across the Western world as concerns about human-induced climate change and inaction grow. Researchers from the American Psychiatric Association describe eco-anxiety as, “chronic or severe anxiety related to humans’ relationship with the environment.” While it differs from clinical anxiety disorders, symptoms are quite similar, ranging from sensations of hopelessness, panic attacks, fatigue and depression.
Its greatest cause stems from the growing list of evidence for the ever-present and looming climate crisis, which tends to drown out any sense of autonomy we have over the problem.
It is 100% OKAY to feel uneasy about the future and have your own methods of coping with such news.
If you need any help, here are three action items you can use to mitigate eco-anxiety:
1. Practice Gratitude
I do not mean you need to go out and purchase one of those “Live. Laugh Love.” signs for your home to actively practice gratitude. There is a genuine science backing the idea that gratitude is an affirmation of goodness within our lives.
One of the most effective ways to practice gratitude is through journaling each night before bed.
Write down three things that made you grateful that day — no matter how big or small.
Personal notes I have written include new volunteer opportunities, feeling the warmth of sunshine on my skin during a walk or even running into a friend unexpectedly before class. Regardless of what the act may be, recognize that goodness and write about it in your gratitude journal. It’s that simple!
The longer you practice this trick, the easier it becomes to acknowledge what makes you feel grateful, then watch as the benefits reap in your life. These include long-lasting positive moods, improved sleep quality, greater prosocial behaviors, and lower rates of depression to name a few.
Gratitude is one of the world’s strongest medicines and no pill can be substituted for the practice of it. Take it from neuroscientist and leading gratitude expert, Dr. Glenn R. Fox, consistently practicing such methodologies have proven to relieve pain, regulate emotional states and extend individuals’ lives up to 10 years.
2. Switch From a Scarcity Mindset to an Abundance Mindset
The key issues surrounding the challenges of eco-anxiety relate to a lack of availability and control. This disposition to the state of our environment is based on a scarcity mindset — one focused on the belief there will never be enough action to save the planet. Such thinking leads to spiked stress levels, fear, and anxiety.
An abundance mindset, on the other hand, enables us to view the realities of the climate crisis coming from a lens of possibility and secures us with tools to persevere through uncertainty. In this ideology, there is a belief that actions in the present will lead to better outcomes in the future with a focus on what is available that can be controlled.
Reframing the rhetoric surrounding climate change to the urgency of needing to protect what remains in abundance on our planet, rather than a perpetual countdown to the loss and displacement of our natural environment grants us an increased sense of autonomy over our actions and the issue as a whole.
Through the abundance mindset, you are not losing something fleeting, but protecting what you already have.
Scarcity mindset says, “I must practice a conscious lifestyle to hold off on the inevitable doom our planet will face.” Whereas, abundance mindset acknowledges, “While the climate crisis is a serious problem worthy of my attention, the fight is not over. There is great purpose to conserve and protect our natural environments and I will devote my efforts to doing so with the green spaces that exist around me.”
Both statements note the urgency of the climate crisis, but the one centered on abundance emits a higher belief in self-effectiveness and lower eco-anxiety symptoms. This simple switch in self-talk allows us to reclaim the threats on our environment as a problem worth fighting for through the sustainable pursuit of a healthy planet.
3. Master Deep Belly Breathing
If these recommendations are not enough, then ask yourself: are you formally trained on how to breathe? (Yes, apparently, that is a real thing.)
This was a question I was asked a few months ago by Dr. Michael Gervais, licensed psychologist and peak performance coach behind Compete to Create. I thought to myself, well I’ve been breathing enough to get by for the past 21 years, so I must be good at it.
The answer is no. I was not. Until he coached me.
It turns out the most effective breathing takes place through your nose when you close your jaw and breathe through your nostrils. One of the most productive methods of breathing as a means of calming your system is commonly referred to as deep belly breathing. See for yourself.
Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. When you inhale through your nose with both hands placed in those respective positions, you want your lower hand to move first as an indicator the breath begins from your center.
A simple, yet effective breathing technique is known as the 4–4–8–4 belly breath. The first step is to inhale for four seconds through your nose, hold for four seconds, which will build tension in your body, then exhale through your nose for eight seconds, slowly releasing the tension. Pause for another four seconds, then repeat.
Your breathing patterns will serve as an anchor and ground you in the present, lowering your heart rate, cortisol levels, and blood pressure.
Don’t Forget the Big Picture
Part of sustaining the climate action movement includes taking care of the creatures responsible for leading that fight — ourselves.
We need all the resources possible in our corner to maintain such passion and adequately cope with eco-anxiety. This may look as basic as writing down what we are grateful for, shifting our self-talk, or taking a deep breath.
By placing the well-being of our bodies and minds as a priority within our lives, we restore a sense of agency over the climate crisis and sustain the fight for a better tomorrow.
Editor’s Note:
To start that gratitude practice, try a recycled paper, leather-bound journal from MADE FREE, a social enterprise that is employing women in an effort to decrease modern-day slavery.
