It is very easy to feel a sense of dread when it comes to the state of the world and specifically the state of climate change. We exist in an age in which information is at our finger tips and we are often bombarded with stories of disaster and destruction; of course staying informed is important and having an awareness of local and international issues allows us to question and challenge these issues but it can also feel quite isolating and overwhelming when facing this alone. This blog post will explore some of the ways in which collective action can be a benefit to not just issues such as climate change but also your own well being as well as some of the ways we can remain determined in the face of challenges without burning out.
A quote a volunteer shared in one of our meetings that I really liked related to the importance of not acting alone – the quote illustrated that a single person can only hold a note for so long but a choir can hold a note for much longer because when you can no longer hold the note, someone else can keep it going for you. This is the benefit of collective action and community led activism. When you feel burnout or that feeling of helplessness – there’s a group of people ready to take it on with you or take some of the weight off your shoulders.
Another really important aspect of activism and mental health was brought to our attention in a film recently watched at the Warehouse called ACTionism; this highlighted the importance of spaces for neurodivergent individuals. Protests can be very overwhelming whether you have a mental health diagnosis or not and at times protests have seemed like the only way of being able to participate in activism but this is not the case. Volunteering with a local group, joining creative activism groups, starting a small group yourself, writing to your local MP – these are all ways in which you can still be a part of the action without potentially risking your own well being.
Some top tips to remain hopeful and prevent burning out:
- Find some positive news – finding content creators who celebrate sustainability wins or have a positive angle to their videos, social media pages focusing on positive things that have happened, podcasts that discuss progress being made or positive news outlets such as magazines and blog posts. Some personal recommendations; YouTube; Leena Norms and Gittemary Johansen. Online or paper magazine; Positive News
- Surround yourself with people who also care through joining volunteer groups, maybe a university society or there’s a sustainability / climate action group at your work place or maybe your group of friends also care and can find ways together to help out. One great way to do this is to join Birmingham Friends of the Earth.
- Find an outlet that suits you – as stated earlier, protests aren’t the only way of getting involved. There are groups out there that do creative forms of activism, volunteer groups looking for extra help in different areas, writing to your local MP, maybe starting a climate book club or litter picking groups.
- Remind yourself that you alone cannot solve all the world’s problems and you do not need to bear the weight of that responsibility. There will be times when you can give 80% of your energy towards action and other times where you can only give 30% and that’s fine – that’s why collective action is so effective because others can pick up when you cannot give that much energy.
- You’re not alone in feeling dread or anxiety about the future of the world – many of us feel that way. What is important is to remind ourselves of all the people that do care and are putting in the work and to remind ourselves that we should be hopeful – things have changed and progressed before so what’s to say that we cannot see positive change again.
If you are experiencing any mental health problems or any issues that you think you would need help for or to better understand – Mind UK has some good resources available; https://www.mind.org.uk/
Written by Emily Quiney, Birmingham Friends of the Earth Volunteer
