Status quo: "I'm too small to make an impact."
Climate Optimist: "Whatever I do, I'm planting seeds. By being the change I wish to see in the world I'm part of the climate revolution!”
On a time crunch? Scroll down for more mindset shifters!
You’re here. That means there is at least one small part of you that wants to be an optimist and believe in a better future than the one we’re projecting right now. You want to think (and act) as if we still have a chance of figuring this out; to turn climate change on its head and embark on a carbon-neutral (or even carbon-positive) world.
Thank you! I owe you my gratitude already.
But is it even possible, you ask yourself? Do we really have what it takes to do this? Who knows?! But trust me when I say this, I wouldn’t sit here at 5:45 in the morning (before I’ve even had a chance to have my first sip of coffee) and type this newsletter to you if I didn’t believe we had a chance!
Photo: Scott Webb
Turning the tides on climate change is not only possible (science says so!), it’s also the only choice we have for humans to have any chance of continued life on this earth. Nature will find new ways of thriving and new species will emerge, but we will probably not be around to see it. So if we like our home (which we do!) we really don't have a choice but to believe. However, to be a Climate Optimist is not about taking a step back and hoping for the best to happen. It’s about diving into awareness and choosing a path of resilience, action, and hope. It’s a confusing yet beautiful mix of trusting science and refusing to accept the status quo; to always question what is so that we can choose again and do better.
Some days, it will feel like all your work is for nothing, and that’s OK. We don’t have to feel successful every day to be Climate Optimists. If we do, we’re probably not paying attention or denying some of the details. To be a Climate Optimist takes work, but I will tell you this - it’s worth it! The alternatives of either giving in to despair or choosing a path of denial will only make you feel incredibly helpless (which will inevitably take a toll on your mental health), and the world will miss out on a leader who could guide us into something better.
So how do you think like a Climate Optimist?
Bottom line - you want to forget about being superman and take it back to basics! To be a Climate Optimist is to act from a place of groundedness and self-awareness. And from that place, you seek ways to fuel your own optimism within. This you do, not by looking to the world around you for reasons to be optimistic, but by choosing to be that reason yourself. You ask yourself: what can I do today to make a difference? And how can I spread this message to the people that I know?
A common mistake we make in the climate world is that we get so swept away by how large and complex the issue is, we often miss what we can do right here, in our own backyards. Yes, I understand that if we are to have a shot of a climate just future, the whole system needs to change. But let’s not forget that we are the system! We are the people who make up the system that chooses leaders, drives demand, creates cultures, and shifts norms, and all the power we need is right here in our hearts where we choose we want better!
Besides, if all of us started working on protecting the environment and ensuring a carbon-neutral transition in our communities and homes, we’ll see the world shift pretty fast!
Photo: Markus Spiske
No, you can’t know if other people care in other cities. No, you can’t know if your efforts on a local level are enough. What you can know, however, is that at least YOU are doing what you can to make a difference. And at the end of the day, that is all you can do. To act and have faith!
But don’t forget that actions have legs and as soon as you set something in motion, it travels. You become the role model for other communities to do the same, not to speak of the people inside your community that will be inspired and empowered by your actions! You have the biggest impact on those already in your close circle - that is a proven fact - so don’t for a second think you don’t have the power to make a difference. Start where you are right now and watch as the world around you begins to shift, and you with it, and remember to keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable. Because who knows what the future holds?
I hope you come back for more climate optimism next Wednesday when I’ll be talking about just that! In the meantime, have a look at the mindset shifters below and see how they resonate. Are you the status quo or the climate optimist?
Photo: Moritz Kindler
Photo: Moritz Kindler
Ready to get to action in your community? Sign up to become a solar ambassador today with Re.volv and help transition your community, school, or company into carbon neutrality.
Mindset Shifters
Here are some mindset shifters to get you started. Write down a few that speak to you and practice using them with yourself this week. Do you feel any different?
Status Quo:
"It will never happen. There is no way people will be ready to [fill in the blank].”
Climate Optimist:
What current system/belief is behind this mindset? What is blocking our ability to see opportunities and growth? What can I do today to challenge that system?
Status Quo:
"There are too many problems and I am too small to make an impact."
Climate Optimist:
What is one thing I can do today that will have a positive impact? How can I start?
Status Quo:
"They (other countries/the government/other people) have to change!"
Climate Optimist:
What is happening in my community? How can I help drive change on my local level?
Status Quo:
"Climate change is too overwhelming to think about, it's too much!"
Climate Optimist:
Let's start talking about climate change so that we can normalize these conversations. I don't have to be a climate expert to have a say in this!
Status Quo:
"To acknowledge and accept climate change for what it truly is is to live in fear, shame, and regret."
Climate Optimist:
As a climate optimist, I understand that it’s my duty to live life to its fullest and to do the best I can to bring light, optimism, and love into this world. That is the only way I can actually have a positive impact!
Status Quo:
"It's already too late!"
Climate Optimist:
"It's not too late but the time to act is NOW!"
I’ve chosen to be a Climate Optimist, and I practice being one every single day. Some days are easier than others, but I will never give up hope, and I will never stop fighting for the future I believe in. I invite you to be an optimist with me and do whatever you can to co-create a better world. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you do, or where you come from. You have all the things you need - right here right now - to be a leader and help us into a better world!
Photo: Francesco Ungaro