Perk Up, Ocean Lover: You're Making it Better Than It Would've Been Otherwise
A Post To Perk You UP About Fighting for Conservation
I’m sure many of you, like me, have been experiencing the ebb and flow of enthusiasm/motivation and helplessness/anxiety over the conservation of our natural environment. The articles/news/research findings are bombarding us - always - and they should, because we need to be aware of the issues and the science. The emotions we attach to the media, however, are brought about by our own projections. I associate so much doom and gloom with everything I hear about climate change and ecosystem destruction, I can’t help it. But what if I stepped away from that and chose to see things differently? What if this perceived negativity could be transformed into a positive source of motivation?
Ok, easier said than done. How can we make this mental shift in order to take care of ourselves emotionally? I’m learning to deal with it by turning inwards and finding my fulfillment/drive/peace within myself, and then infusing that peace and energy into the actions that I am capable of taking at this precise moment. This inner reflection has been, for me, a relatively new tool that I’m starting to use more regularly, because ultimately, if I try to “find” my happiness from what’s happening outside, it’s not going to come. I’ve got my own internal glow going on, and I want to bring it to the party of life. I’m not waiting for external circumstances to come into alignment. Me, first.
Your Actions Make the World Better Than it Would’ve Been Otherwise
Ok, so say you do this - you start to look inward, practicing peaceful mindfulness on your deck one sunshiney morning, and then you open your eyes and there’s another horrible event lighting up your news feed. Eff. Inner peace gone. Try, just try, to go back to your place of calm, take care of yourself, and then get up and go out into your world and take action.
Hell nah it’s not easy, not at all, to watch the beautiful and pure parts of our world get destroyed due to economic greed and society’s consumerist priorities. But once we realize that every action we’re taking as environmentalists leads to a world that is better than it would’ve been otherwise, we can hopefully find peace that we are acting according to our inner values and as such, we can glean joy from that simple alignment. We don’t need to solve every problem. We just need to do what we can. This could lead to a very joyful existence, even as we face challenges that seem completely soul-crushing.
Take a deep breath. It’s refreshing to know that this moment is all we truly have, the past is gone and the future isn’t here, and we can choose to project our reality on the now by training our mind to see the bright sparkly bits of life. Do something today to make the world better than it would’ve been otherwise. Can you tell I’m obsessed with that phrase? I heard it on Sylvia Earle’s documentary Mission Blue on Netflix and it’s stuck to me like a barnacle on a whale’s tail. My existence is making this world a better place. So is yours, you shiny human, you. Share your passion, your charisma, and your feelings about climate change and conservation, take your actions, speak your truth - but remember to take care of yourself internally while you’re doing all of that.
Celebrate the Now for What it Is
This is meant to be a bit of a pick-me-up for anyone struggling to find peace in a world that is anything but. Look for the light in your days, show gratitude for every little thing, and go out and frickin’ dance and move your body, because we should celebrate being alive in the world right now as it is. Savor it.
Also…this:
What Can You Do To Make a Difference?
Are you curious what your eco-mission might be? Or what actions you can take to make a difference? My advice is to just to start, somewhere, anywhere, one small change, one conversation, one thought process. This starts the chain reaction. Eventually, as you continue on this road towards a greener life and join the fight for a sustainable future, you’ll discover more and more about what your gifts can do for the world of conservation. Here are some ideas in my eco-challenge.
The fact that you’re still reading this means that you are already making a huge difference - you’re showing interest in learning, and growing.
Awww. Won’t you continue growing with me? Let’s be palm trees together.
xo
Lauren
