Since ending my maternity leave, I have been trying to synthesize diffierent ideas for a post, something that is valuable to myself and those who happen upon this blog. In addition to mounting anxieties since becoming a parent, a major escalating concern of mine is about the future of the world for my son, given the state of the environment. Although I largely write about human interaction and emotional/behavioral health topics (given the nature of my work) I have come to realize that the way we treat ourselves and others is not mutally exclusive from how we treat/see the world; they are interdependent. Simply put, we all need the earth to live, and without it means our exsitinction.
I think we are all aware of how dire the circumstances have become (fires in the Amazon, plastic in all the sea salt we consume, bigger hurricanes, etc.). I feel overwhelmedby how much effort is required to make a change. Although I do what I can to reduce, reuse, and recycle, my efforts often feel like a drop in the bucket, and this can be very defeating. I do not feel that I am alone in this sense of hopelessness, yet, without sounding to preachy, this is an emergency situation. Although this video has already been widely shared, I wanted to include Greta Thurnberg’s passionate speech at the UN because it encapsulates how horrible this issue truly is, and the kind of passion and urgency needed to effectively address the issue.
The fact that things are not changing as fast as is necessary for our species to survive has led me to wonder why do some resist and deny the reality of the situation? Selfishness, greed, and apathy are at the root of the cause, as Thurnberg touches on in her speech, but this is not a novel concept. We all participate by having values and ideas about what we need in order to be fufilled, happy, and “enough”. Lynne Twist in the Soul Of Money speaks about the scarity mindset, and how even those with so much money have a “poverty of soul” which leads to a constant search for more, even at the cost of others/the environment.
Feeling not enough is intimately connected to shame (check out an earlier blog post about relinquishing shame), and when we are ashamed, often times the impulse is to hide or suppress whatever is causing our shame. Being in hiding, emotionally or otherwise, is a constricted place to exist. Feeling closed off, albeit a self-protective stance, leads us to not be aware of our resources (both inner and external), but also it gives us blinders not fully see how we are interacting with the world around us. A one track focus is helpful for reaching a goal, but excludes other options or only allows us to see one part of the picture of what acheiving this goal truly means.
I am not explaining this as en effort to elict sympathy for those that are major contributors to why exploitation of our earth exists. I only bring this up to show that even with everything they may possess, they are not necessarily happy, and they are definetely not free. Their greed has created a disaster because they are bound to keep others down and in search of the “fantasy of endless economic growth”, constantly vigilent about maintaining the grip they hold on others and the world.
Seeing how this poor connection to feelings and motivations can lead to such disasterous and global effects, it is important for everyone to take care of themselves so the are aware of what they truly need. Taking care of ourselves is vital, not only to our own sense of self worth but to have the space to help others or help clean up the earth. Without necessary rest, nutrition, social interaction, and love we may be alive but we are not thriving.
Lastly, I want to note that those who that have limited access to food, transportation, and housing are hindered in their ability to change their lifestyle in order to impact the world and possibly it feels even more impossible to do anything to make a change. For instance if you live in a food desert, you can only eat what is available to you. Poverty is another result of the exploitation and corruption I am speaking of, and it is also something that must be addressed in order for the human race to live sustainably and humanely. Lastly, whereever possible, we must make better choices for how we live and what we consume. It takes courage to change, but I like to think of this Maya Angelou quote when I feel daunted:
One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest. The thing to do, it seems to me, is to prepare yourself so you can be a rainbow in somebody else's cloud.
