Climate Grief and Eco-Anxiety

A bright orange sunset with mountains and water — dear skipper jenn

Much like Dear Abby, or my favorite, Dear Sugar, this newsletter series is about questions and answers. I invite sailors to e-mail me with their questions and I will do my best to pick and answer those that reflect topics and themes that are important to our community. All questions will remain anonymous.

Dear Skipper Jenn,

I am angry, scared, and feel hopeless about climate change. I want to sail in clean waters with healthy ecosystems and reliable weather patterns. How do I cope and keep going when I am not sure what the world, our weather, and the ecology will look like in 10-20 years?

Dear Hopeless Over Climate Change,

First off, can you people start asking me some easy questions? Just kidding, it’s 2020. There are no easy questions or answers. Secondly, climate change is deeply overwhelming and brings about a roller coaster of the feels. How does one cope with mass extinction and constant change of the fundamental ecological patterns and systems of our planet? We have a term for the emotions that go with this experience that you will hear more in the years to come: Climate Grief.

Climate Grief is a complicated and anticipatory grief. Meaning that it is not just one thing and it is ongoing, with more to come. With Climate Grief, you are processing the loss of what the planet once was, what it is now, and what it is becoming due to natural and manufactured causes, all at once. It is overwhelming and impacts every aspect of our lives.

Another helpful term being used to describe the angst and anticipation of what is to come is eco-anxiety. Reading the news about climate change is like watching a train wreck that you know is going to happen, you know how to stop it, and you personally cannot make it stop. Eco-anxiety is different from generalized anxiety disorder. Although, it can exacerbate existing mental health issues. It is a natural, and even healthy response, to paying attention to that train and wanting it to not crash. While it brings on feelings of impending doom, lack of control, and intense uncertainty, it is a response to the truth that the world is rapidly changing and running out of resources for almost 8 billion people. The trick is not letting it pull you into the extremes of paralyzing inaction and pessimism, or intense planning and survival skills over imagined future apocalyptic conditions.

Whether you are experiencing climate grief, eco-anxiety, or both, the remedies are similar. Taking personal action and working toward solutions is a foundational way of coping. The amazing women writing for this third issue of the Women Who Sail Newsletter outline some of what we can do about climate change and I am going to directly address your very normal and understandable big feels.

Feel the Feels. There is no one way to grieve. Everyone is different in how grief looks and what they need. It is important to make space for grief, to talk about it, and to create rituals for it. I often make art, meditate, or chant mantras when I am out in nature as a love letter to the planet, letting her know that I see her, and I am bearing witness to her process. I offer deep apology to the damage done, and hope and aspirations that she will heal with or without us humans. Whatever brings you to the bigger picture in a spacious way and helps you feel your feelings, do it.
Build Resilience. In my last post, I discussed the importance of cultivating resilience to cope with the storms ahead. I focused on building community, being creative, and using active coping skills like learning to hold emotional plurality, and making meaning out of your experience and life. Learning to tolerate the uncertainty of modern life and create structure around coping will be paramount in the years to come. To do that you have to put your own oxygen mask on first Find ways to be emotionally sustained and build support with your community.
Appreciate, Explore, and Share Nature. As sailors, we have a unique opportunity and vantage point to witness the joy and struggles of nature. Sharing the beauty and truth of our waters with folks is part of how we can honor it, and as the other writers discuss, encourage activism with others. When you are out on the water, you have the opportunity to be in the present moment with our planet. Be sure to add gratitude for what we have now to your list of coping skills. Be sure to look for the good in all of this hot mess, there is still a lot of it.
Educate Yourself, and Limit News Consumption. One major conundrum in our age of technology is how to balance staying informed without becoming overwhelmed by information. We have more news and data at our fingertips than ever before. Staying current with news and thinking critically is an important part of activism. Always ask: who wrote this and what do they have to gain? Who paid for the research or reporting? Also, know your limits so the news does not overwhelm you. Explore the balance between not being in denial and not being emotionally dysregulated by information.
Realistic Expectations. A mentor of mine once told me to always remember that a little is a lot when you are doing activism work. If you set out with an expectation that you are going to change the world, you will be let down over and over and prone to burn out. Know your energy levels, scope, and role. Do not take climate change on as yours alone to solve, because you can’t. Do some self-reflection and discernment on what you can do and focus on that. Make sure to celebrate any wins, even little ones.
Look for the Helpers. Everything that is good and true, Mr. Rogers said. Always look for those out there trying to do good. If you can, make friends with them. Find good news to read. I love watching videos of folks working to rehabilitate adorable animals. There is nothing like baby sloths being bottle fed to help me cope with all the damaging bullshit that comes with humans. The truth is most people are caring and good. Think of the millions around the world who showed up for climate marches. There are a lot of other people out there dedicating their time and energy for positive change.

Hopeless Over Climate Change, you are not alone. I get it. Let’s come together in our grief and anxiety to support one another for a better future. The beauty of modern life is experiencing just how much we are a global community. More than ever, we have an opportunity to tap into our collective compassion and humanity. More than ever, we need the feelers, the dreamers, and the visionaries to come together and build great things. If you feel hopeless it is because you care deeply and have a big heart. You are not too sensitive; you are not overreacting; you are paying attention. I hope that you find ways to balance the knife's edge of caring and action versus hopelessness and overwhelm. More than ever, we need you not to give up.

FROM WOMEN WHO SAIL NEWSLETTER | ISSUE 3. | October 2020.

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A woman in a yay hat and life jacket at the helm of a cruising boat saluting you — Skipper Jenn

Jenn Harkness is a human being, artist, coach, therapist, writer, friend, mermaid, student of life and lover of all shine and sparkle. She is also Editor-in-Chief of the WWS Newsletter. You can find more of my writing over at skipperjenn.com. While I am a mental health counselor and life coach, and have expertise on human behavior and social dynamics, this series is not intended to be mental health treatment. If you are struggling, please seek personal professional help. Everyone needs support sometimes, being human is weird, complicated and can be hard. May we all sail in peace.