The socio-ecological crisis is causing more and more eco-emotions to emerge among young people (and not so young!). To give you an idea, according to a survey conducted by Léger in 2021, 73% of Quebecers aged 18 to 34 describe themselves as eco-anxious! That’s almost 3/4 of young people who live with eco-anxiety daily.

I must admit I’m no exception. I know this famous eco-anxiety well, too. It knows where to knock to find me. It even sometimes dares to present itself under the guise of denial, avoidance, existential fear, or guilt. It’s hard to fool me now; after opening the door to it so many times, I can now quickly recognize it even when it tries to disguise itself.

I’ve tried several times to let it knock without opening the door. But in vain, it’s impossible to ignore. It breaks down the door without asking when I don’t let it in. By cohabiting with this new indiscreet roommate, I’ve slowly learned to know it better in all its aspects. The more I observe it, the more I realize it’s not invincible. Its strength is that it is a powerful engine for change and an adequate fuel for individual and collective action that leaves no one indifferent.

I’m sharing some practices that help me when I feel overwhelmed by my eco-emotions and try to take care of them. They can help you, too, to slowly tame eco-anxiety and turn it into an ally for change!

Mobilizing Your Creative Potential

It’s time to reconnect with the inner child that sleeps within you! Collage, painting, drawing, sculpture, spontaneous writing—any means is suitable for letting your creativity flow! Here, the focus is on the process, not the result. The goal is to create without judgment, to clear your mind, and to listen to your intuition.

If you don’t need help figuring out where to start, there are several ways to guide your creative impulses. For example, you can ask yourself a specific question and create around it using an intuitive collage. Old newspapers or magazines are ideal for this; I particularly enjoy browsing through the book-sharing boxes in my neighborhood to get them!

You can also try to materialize, using different mediums such as drawing, collage, or writing, the emotion you feel: what does it look like? Does it have a color? A texture? A smell? What shape is it? If it could talk, what would it say? This exercise allows you to understand better the emotion experienced and approach it with kindness and acceptance.

Another technique to try is neurographic drawing, which involves taking a black pencil and drawing intertwining lines and geometric shapes, then filling each intersection with different colors. It’s a good exercise for calming your nervous system and reconnecting with the present moment.

In short, there are countless ways to nourish your creative potential, and if you’re lacking inspiration, Anne-Marie Jobin’s Creative Journal books (French only) are a little are a goldmine of inspiration and guidance!

Reconnecting with Nature

Our eco-emotions often reflect our love for the world and the living beings around us. We are an integral part of nature, so it’s normal for its distress to affect us directly! By reconnecting with it, we cultivate our desire to protect it while enjoying its benefits.

Whether it’s a simple walk in the forest, sitting at the foot of a tree to observe its different components more closely, or sitting on a bench to listen to the sounds of birds, moments spent in nature are always soothing for the mind.

Even in the city, green spaces like parks are conducive places to recharge your batteries and reconnect with the surrounding nature.

Social Engagement

Sometimes, our surroundings don’t necessarily share our view of the world, and this can quickly make us feel alone and misunderstood in our social circle. You’re not alone in all this! Engaging in your community is a great way to meet people who share the same vision and face similar issues.

Get involved in your alley committee or neighborhood community center! Volunteer for an organization near you or join sharing circles. You will quickly realize that you are not alone in experiencing similar situations.

By engaging collectively, we open ourselves to meeting new people, participating in a collective movement, and feeling that we are having a real impact on our environment.

The most important thing is to remember that there are more eco-aware people around us than we think!

Fortunately, organizations like Éco-motion (French only) exist to offer collective spaces that promote the normalization of eco-emotions to accelerate the socio-ecological transition! I invite you to look at this beautiful social economy enterprise for inspiration and information!

On that note, happy exploration of your eco-emotions!

Sources: (French only)
Anne-Sophie Poiré. (2022). Pour causer moins d’écoanxiété, l’art est un outil pour parler de l’urgence climatique.
https://www.24heures.ca/2022/12/23/pour-causer-moins-decoanxiete-lart-est-un-outil-pour-parler-de-lurgence-climatique#:~:text=L’art%20est%20un%20moyen,public%20%C3%A0%20passer%20%C3%A0%20l

Radio-Canada. (January 7, 2023). Les jeunes Québécois sont les moins optimistes par rapport à la crise climatique.
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1946669/quebec-lutte-rechauffement-climatique-sondage

The Travelling Jar, Logistic Manager

Mélisande Blanchet

An avid lover of life, Mélisande is constantly looking for new ways to move towards a more sustainable lifestyle and to inspire others to get on board to preserve our delicate Mother Earth. When she’s not wandering around Quebec looking for the best place to pitch her tent, she’s probably in her kitchen making natural cosmetics or expressing her creativity on paper in an unusual location.

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