DON’T THINK, ACT
Written by Ben Tallon
My friend is waiting in my inbox, jetlagged and in a state of utter panic. He’s read a horrifying report about carbon sinks - those big forests and peat bogs and soil beds that drink up a lot of the shit we pump out into the atmosphere - failing. The report is by The Guardian, one of a handful of responsible media outlets who will cover the stuff that matters instead of dividing people in the name of vested interest.
At first, I follow him off the mental cliff. It’s happening again, rampant eco anxiety cutting off my ability to think, act, smile, move. This happened a lot during early parenthood, when fatigue cut off my brain’s air supply, when I was down, and vulnerable to the world’s ills.
Take action. That’s what I learned. These fucking silly brains of ours, the highly-sensitive ones that make us good at certain jobs, enable us to enjoy deep friendships and romantic connections, but in the name of balance, take us to dark places. Especially when Armageddon is in the news again. And when this anxiety habit became a serious problem for me in 2021, when I’d spend several days feeling hopeless because the neighbours cut down a mature tree just to put a tiny driveway outside their house, I had to spend time learning about the way my brain worked. The way fight, flight, or freeze can trick our modern brains into making things worse than they are. When I did, none of the problems that had triggered these mental battles went away, or lessened in severity, but I recognised that I could respond better to them. I could handle their assaults; hold fort long enough to assess what I could do about it. If it turned out there was nothing I could do, I’d anchor my mind on a carousel of positive thoughts until my heart slowed and my brain returned to baseline optimism. This wasn’t denial, but acknowledgment of the fact that I’m far more useful in the fight when I’m not an anxious mess. Stressing about what you can’t change just wastes your days, and it’s bloody exhausting. Not to mention, really shit for those around you.
So I sent these tips back to my poor friend, who is about to become a parent as the climate crisis escalates. I took action. Helping him helped me because I’ve been where he is and I go there still, somedays, and this positive response stopped me from dwelling on the report. Then I turned my attention back to creativity, my fight within the fight. My special suit. Elevate creativity in education and society, and we stand a far better chance of surviving. I believe that and so should you. It’s why we’re here today, it’s how we’ll survive tomorrow, and it’s what saved me from mental illness during new parenthood.
Purpose. Belonging. Community. Even in the apocalypse these things make it bearable. Creativity boosts all of them, and it’s a reciprocal nourishing effect. With those three, you’ll be more creative, and maybe, just maybe, stay sane in these crazy days.