This week we saw the celebration of Earth Day, an annual event to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
Every year, Earth Day makes me reflect on what we do and who we are as human beings in this world.
Image: Noel Buscher, unsplash
We all depend on this lovely planet we live on, and we rely on each other too. We are naturally social creatures. But despite this, one of the biggest challenges I see daily is the very skilful ability our brains have to disengage from the tricky stuff that’s happening around us, the systemic issues that we’re all facing and need to address.
For example, we can validate our disconnection from the natural world by creating and visiting reserves, squeezing ‘nature’ into smaller and smaller spaces, rather than appreciating how wonderful it is, and recognising our place in a much bigger ecosystem.
As a result, we don’t need to really slow down, stop and think about what’s happening, what we’re doing and most importantly, how we might feel if we reconnected with the very real emotions that these big issues can evoke.
If we could be braver, pause and connect with some of these very uncomfortable feelings, we could make more progress. It might help to make us realise the impact that we have on others and the world around us and get into action to make a difference.
By doing this, we would increase our own self-awareness which is vital if we’re to understand others better. This work starts with each of us. But sometimes, the feeling of emotional overwhelm when we think about what needs to change for the better in the world (and that includes in the world of work) is just too great.
But we’re human beings and we can make great things happen. The first step could be taking time to realistically think about our own emotional responses to hard things and how we might use these responses positively, creating the right energy to keep moving forward means we’ll be better humans. We’ll have a more positive impact on the people and the world around us and each of us is responsible for this.
It’s hard but very natural to ‘feel the feels’. We don’t need to ignore them or hide away. If we see this as an opportunity to learn and practice compassion for ourselves and others when things are tough, we’ll change our thinking.
But, if we get stuck, we might want to draw on other resources for support; one of the most helpful approaches I’ve found, is hanging out with people who also want to make positive change happen and who may well be facing the same challenges. Or, find someone who can help people explore and deal with big emotions, like a coach or counsellor.
If you’d like to chat about any of the topics raised in this week’s post, get in touch. I’d love to hear your thoughts.