How to Not Go Crazy While Trying to Save the World?

How to Not Go Crazy While Trying to Save the World?

A friend of mine is feeling disenchanted by the state of the world today. It seems that no matter how much he tries to do, he cannot offset the destruction that humanity inflicts on each other and the environment. “It feels like I am trying to stop a huge tidal wave with my bare hands.”

I hit a similar mental roadblock a couple years ago, after exposing myself to the doom and gloom broadcast by books and the news media. I was living in constant fear that the world could end any day – that people would hit starvation and be forced to survive using drastic measures. I wanted to spread awareness on certain issues and bring social justice, but I didn’t want to overwhelm or scare people, or arouse hostility from companies. I didn’t want people to see me as crazy or stupid, and I hated myself for not having the courage to do anything about the problem.

I ended up having to drop the issue and focus on my mental well-being – rewiring a mind heavily built on the belief that “I am not enough”. By solving social problems, I could prove how charitable and capable I was, so I could cover up how messed up, flawed, selfish, burdensome and irredeemable I believed I was on the inside. I wanted to be a ‘hero’ who would solve all the problems. I believed it would be irresponsible to not try to solving all the problems I knew of – but in doing so, I was quickly getting overwhelmed and burned out.

At that point in time, there was also little incentive for me to actually save the world – because I felt that besides the purpose of saving the world, there wasn’t much to live for. I felt empty, lonely, and unhappy, disconnected from the people in my life.

Overall, those experiences taught me 7 valuable lessons:

• Question the doom and gloom posed by the media, books, and even academia. The media sells fear to keep us viewers interested, and often blow their stories out of proportion. Logic, skepticism and criticism stand out in academia as ‘the way to think’ or ‘the way to be’. However, they often neglect to talk about the good things that are happening, and what is possible for the future. The book “Rational Optimism” talks about how people have been prophesying the world’s doom for decades, yet the overall economy has steadily grown upwards – and the world isn’t yet completely destroyed. Part of the reason for that, I believe, is because it’s harder to commit terrible acts than people think. In any case, I have found it vastly more beneficial to distance myself from any material that leaves me feeling hopeless about situations I cannot control.

• Accept myself and the world, the way it is. Resisting reality, believing that it ‘should be another way’, that ‘humans are selfish and cruel’, and fixating on what’s wrong with people and the world, ultimately makes me feel worse. I end up drowning in despair, and trying to fix and change people, which makes them feel judged and on the defensive. It’s when I bring understanding to the situation – that people are doing the best to get their needs met – that I can collaborate with them and explore solutions that can be more win-win for everybody. It's when I can meet my limitations with love and compassion, and see myself as not alone in my struggles and flaws, that I can dissolve that self-hatred and free up the energy to do something about the situation.

• Work on making the world a better place because it’s part of who I am, not because there is something wrong with me (or the world), but because I enjoy the process, because it feels right to do it, and because I love this world and want it to stick around. It takes time to find what I’m good at, so it’s important that I’m patient with myself in that process too.

• Don’t burden myself to solve all the world’s problems: It’s not my fault that we are largely wired to do things that benefit ourselves today, without considering long-term consequences. It wouldn’t be fair (wise) to put it on my shoulders alone, to solve problems caused by many people throughout decades and centuries.

• Don’t worry about things outside my control: I can influence people but I cannot expect to change them. Any day, a politician or CEO in the world can make a decision that causes mass grief and mayhem. That said, if I accept that by default, bad things outside my control are going to happen, then I can focus on the things I can change – even if they are small. Which brings me to my next point:

• Don’t be attached to how much I do – just focus on doing what I can: It will take time to learn how to influence other people to do good things. It will also take time to build the confidence to withstand the inevitable friction that will come along the way. In the meantime, what I have the most control over is changing myself and my own habits!

For instance, it is challenging to sort the recycling outside in the middle of the winter, when I am feeling depressed and low-energy. My friend Katherine, though, is quite conscientious about sorting the recycling. I asked her why she does it, and how she’s able to keep it up. First of all, she enjoys it. Second, it ensures that all the recycling is taken away. Third, it's because it keeps landfills more clean, and allows resources to be reused. Knowing the ‘why’ makes it a lot easier for me to practice environmentally friendly habits – the practical reason of making sure that household waste is processed smoothly, and also knowing the extra good it will do. It just occurred to me that I don’t have to sort all the recycling outside, either, if it’s easier to sort it inside.

Putting a small habit in place creates the groundwork and confidence for bigger and more challenging tasks. I imagine that the more we practice the smaller habits, the more we will be ready for the bigger tasks of influencing our workplaces and local politics – once those opportunities come up. When it comes to being eco friendly, for instance, some small wins can include

• Buying eco cleaning products, or products with eco friendly materials
• Making a meal with natural ingredients, such as an acai bowl or buddah bowl
• Dropping large amounts of recycling materials at a zero waste centre
  
  

• Reflect: what do I personally want to live for? What kind of life would I want to have, if the world continues to turn for the next 90 years? Social change can be a challenging path to walk and practice, day after day. What will make it worthwhile? What experiences and people in my life can bring me joy and happiness? It’s okay to be selfish here – that’s what will bring life to my purpose.
  

On that last point – I asked Michael, the founder of this site, what motivated him to set up this business. He did it because he loves exploring nature – seeing the snow and the tides through kayaking, hiking and skiing – and he wants to preserve it. His purpose for doing good is powerfully connected to what he enjoys & what energizes him.

I will be exploring in the next couple weeks what my own purpose is, and what would light me up / inspire me at this moment. Stay tuned!

Peace and love,

Linna

‍