Sometimes I wear myself out worrying about the big picture. I know I’m not the only one who does this. Just last week, Psychologists for Social Responsibility warned that if we do not see dramatic political action on climate change by the end of this year, there is a risk that “millions of people will develop severe and persistent anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, aggression, and other troubled behavior…”
These symptoms are almost identical to caregiver’s syndrome. The Psychologists for Social Responsibility did not list exhaustion (which is a primary symptom of caregiver’s syndrome), but I wouldn’t hesitate to wager that activists and concerned citizens around the world are there already.
And it’s not just climate change. Sustainability activists of all kinds are living this reality on a daily basis.
Therefore, it’s becoming increasingly important to realize that sustainability isn’t just about the outside. The outside matters, but you count too. Because you won’t be able to help anyone if you succumb to global caregiver’s syndrome.
Here are five quick and easy ways I’ve found to boost my energy and my spirits when life is getting to be too much.
1. Turn Off The News
“But I need to stay informed!” you protest. You are sufficiently informed. You’re so informed it’s making you feel like crap. Turn off your TV. Shut down your computer. If you must rationalize it, tell yourself that your news-free time conserves energy. Just turn it all off!
2. Go Outside
Did you know that vitamin D deficiencies are commonly associated with depression and anxiety? Our bodies synthesize vitamin D from sunlight. Go outside and get some. And while you’re out there, take a breath of fresh air.* You might as well take advantage of that while we still have it.
*”Fresh” may vary based on your geographical location.
3. Cut Yourself Some Slack
Remember that you can’t do it all. We live on a huge planet with over 6 billion other people. We are facing the greatest innovative challenge in human history. You cannot do it alone (and you will not have to). The world doesn’t gain anything when you beat yourself up for being one person. In fact, it stands a lot to lose if you pummel yourself into a state of guilt-ridden apathy. So give yourself a damn break.
4. Give Yourself Some Credit
I know that some days, the little stuff you do doesn’t seem like it makes any difference. One person couldn’t possibly matter all that much. And isn’t incrementalism just an excuse to make ourselves feel better about our excessive lifestyles?
Stop it. Give yourself a little credit. Making lifestyle choices that reflect your values does count for something, and directing your consumer purchasing power towards greener alternatives is a necessary first step. If everyone in the U.S. were to take those same little steps, we would reduce our overall emissions by 8.5% – that is no small reduction. Remember that we are all connected, and little ripples can turn into big waves. Give yourself credit for moving in the right direction. We can’t take giant leaps forward if we’re all facing backwards.
5. Talk To Hopeful People
Cynics are a dime a dozen. At least 75% of the people I talk to on a daily basis think that it can’t be done. “It” ranges across the board – getting out of debt, getting good grades, finding a job, dealing with major global issues. Stay away from those cranky people! Don’t hang out with downers. Take a break from the consistently negative people in your life. And then go find people who share your convictions AND believe that something can be done. (Fellow sustainability nerds can find a bunch of positive people hanging out at Worldchanging.)
The problems that we face are complex. There will not be any easy answers. We are embarking on a marathon of activism, engagement, and change. You have something unique and valuable to bring to the table, and we’re gonna need you for the long haul. You won’t be able to play your part unless you first take care of yourself.
What are some tricks that you’ve developed to prevent global caretaker’s syndrome? What helps you keep going?
These are some really great ideas. Just yesterday I was reading about the potential collapse of the dollar in a really negative news article. It was morning and it just put me in this huge sad funk. I wasted my whole morning being negative and grumpy because of this one news clip. A few hours later I read an article that pretty much contradicted it. I thought to myself…”this isn’t healthy I should just ignore it for today.”
I’m not saying ignoring our problems is healthy, but on some days I am just better off tuning out to all of the day-to-day news that ends up contradicting itself a few hours later, anyway.
Thank you so much for your comment!
I know exactly what you mean about contradictory news. I think I also struggle with the scope of the issues we face today. It seems like they are so big, and can be framed genuinely and truthfully in many different ways. That can make it really hard to get a handle on the big picture, like trying to reconstruct a scene through glimpses in a kaleidoscope.
Excellent thoughts, Jess. Greenfyre sent me to your blog.
Things I do for relief:
macrophotography helps me ignore the wider deteriorating landscape; spending the majority of my time with young children (who could be more optimistic?); and I cherish every minute I am able to see the people I love.
Thanks for stopping by, Gail! And great suggestions for finding relief — you’ve inspired me to pick up my camera the next time I go outside.
And I agree with you about young children – one of the best transitional jobs I ever had was as a substitute teacher. I particularly loved subbing in special ed classrooms. I thought it was strange that those jobs were less popular among other subs. The students were always so joyful and looked at the world in such creative and original ways.
The most delightful thing about young children is that they adore you absolutely. It feels really great to be worshiped by munchkins who don’t have a clue how flawed I am!