When I was 12, my mother became a pagan. Although we’d been raised nominally Jewish, my mom found a community of goddess worshippers in our suburban town and it felt just right for the place she was at in her life. There was a lot of anti-patriarchy rhetoric, which, given my impossible father, must also have suited my mom.

What I remember from the many retreats and ceremonies and talk circles she brought me to was the sense that we are all connected to each other, and to a greater being who is Mother Earth.

But I feel I have failed Mother Earth. And it makes me anxious.

Ambient anxiety is like a free floating black cloud that likes to check in on us at inopportune times.  For instance, what do you do when a tweet stops you dead in your tracks?

On his excellent podcast, Depresh Mode, host John Moe interviews journalist S.E Cupp, who “was out running errands, waiting in line at a store, glanced at her phone to idly scroll through Twitter, and ran across an image of a child who had covid and was on a ventilator. And instantly, the world kind of spun out. She had a panic attack and it was a doozy. She got treatment right away but was unable to read or concentrate for weeks. Her work suffered, her state of mind was irrevocably altered.”

I think many of us can relate to S.E! And so I wanted to talk about how to manage anxiety in the face of something that feels too big.

My guest, Kyle Empringham, is both an anxious achiever and a climate activist. He runs a non profit that supports young leaders in the climate space called Starfish Canada. It can be frustrating. Kyle notes, “we want a linear path to solving the issue. The chances are, we won't probably have that, because it is so complicated to be able to address this. I do think it is sometimes we'll take steps back, but we'll still be able to make some steps forward. And that's the framing that helps me as an anxious person be able to sit with the elements of climate anxiety that I have, and to be able to move forward.”

Kyle grounds his climate anxiety in building a community so he doesn’t feel alone, and in the power of taking small, meaningful actions. He grounds his work in building a community to fight, not fear: "You can let people know this is a thing that is happening, and then the next thing you say is something that can invoke fear, or something that can invoke love. The sense of opportunity has a lot more advantages." 

And so if you’re feeling scared and overwhelmed by the existential issues of our time, take a moment to remind yourself, you’re not alone. I found a local group of activists called Mothers Out Front who are doing heroic work. They make me feel less alone. You can even share your grief-- or a positive action-- on social media. Or take a small, meaningful action in your own home. No, this won’t solve climate change, but it will make you feel less anxious and more empowered.

Who can you get into community with?

PS: Here is a great article from one of my favorite meditation teachers, Jay Michaelson, featuring some meditations for eco anxiety.