Day 9: Acknowledge your feelings

Today's action: Dealing with your feelings

Take 5 minutes today to reflect on how you feel about climate change. Are you feeling anger, fear, grief, anxiety, shame, guilt? A general desire to stick your head in the sand and ignore it? Acknowledge whatever you’ve got.

Depending on what you’re feeling, you may want to explore this list of resources for working through climate emotions. You can also use this time to commit to one self-care habit that you’ll include in your life. Meditation, journaling, time in nature, exercise, sufficient sleep, and therapy are all things that can help you work through your feelings (and thrive more generally).

Now answer this question: do you feel any better now that you’ve started working towards a solution? Action is a powerful antidote. We’re so glad that you’re here acting with us! (But if you’re not quite feeling the glow, we understand, and we've got more resources for you below.)

Why this action? Thinking about climate change can bring up all sorts of feelings, including a sense of hopelessness or helplessness. If you have any of these feelings, know that you’re not alone (we feel that way sometimes too). Acknowledging and working through your feelings is healthy, and can also strengthen your resolve to act. At the same time, taking care of yourself is so very important. So while the time for climate action is now, we’re in a marathon, not a sprint – treat yourself kindly.

Looking for more? Read on for info and actions on working with climate emotions.

Learn and reflect:

• Listen to or read this NPR Lifekit episode and article on managing climate anxiety.

• Explore this wonderful list of resources for working with climate emotions, and consider trying out whatever speaks to you.

• Read past issues and sign up for Gen Dread, a newsletter focused on cultivating resilience in the face of climate reality.

Act:

• Join a Climate Emotions Conversation.

• Check out the Good Grief Network and sign up for their 10-step program.