I’ve got many…the Blue Mountains, the ocean near Manly, the Snowy Mountains, an island in the German part of the Northern Sea, the Dolomites in Italy. I absolutely love swimming with Manta Rays and Turtles. And since my recent very close encounter with an endangered Sydney Broad Head snake, I’m also in awe of snakes. I am also fascinated by gum trees and their way of communicating. The list could go on…
Humans have an inherent inclination to affiliate with nature. This process is called biophilia, meaning: The love of connecting with nature.
Healthy people need healthy habitats and, thus, a healthy planet… at its core, this is what the Climate Change Conference #COP26 in Glasgow is about. And …, our federal government hasn’t yet offered a solid plan to protect our planet earth. Many people I work with find this frustrating and outright stressful. Time is running out and hope is dissolving.
I’d like to share with you two different resources that I find very helpful:
Mindful leadership action to manage your frustration:
Thich Nhat Hanh’s new book “Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet” contains many thought-provoking perspectives on a mindful leadership approach to activism.
Thich Nhat Hanh is a Buddhist Zen Master, poet, scholar and human rights activist. In 1967, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King. He is a man of action and embodies an inspiring, decisive, compassionate, and fearless engagement that springs from a place of serenity and insight. He teaches that to practice meditation is “to look deeply into the heart of reality, to see things that others can’t see. (…) Once there is seeing, there must be acting. Otherwise, what’s the use of seeing.”
We too often think of meditation as something passive and quiet. It can be so much more. The book provides you many concrete examples that are highly relevant for anyone who cares about Humanity and Planet Earth. In fact, Thich Nhat Hanh’s community is actively involved in #COP26.
Understanding “disenfranchised grief” to manage your stress levels.
Jonica Newby is a science reporter, author, TV presenter and director of ABC TV’s popular weekly science program, Catalyst. Her book “Beyond Climate Grief” offers different perspectives on how to deal with the emotional rollercoaster that Climate change causes for many.
Some of the stress you may be feeling might be attributed to “disenfranchised grief”. As Newby writes, “Professor Ken Doka defines it as a ‘grief that results when a person experiences a significant loss and the resultant grief is not openly acknowledged, socially validated, or publicly mourned’. It’s double complex because no one’s died – yet. It’s also known as ‘anticipatory grief’. But the emotional rollercoaster is real.”
Both books are worth a read and contemplation if you are keen to achieve more positive impact with less stress and struggle.
Which other leadership resources do you find useful right now?
I’d love to hear from you.
Naturally yours,
Ingrid