- I'm starting my 11th year working on climate change, including the last 4 in daily journalism. Today I went to see a counselor about it. 1/
https://twitter.com/EricHolthaus/status/817503888500633600
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus)Fri, Jan 06 2017 22:51:30 - I'm saying this b/c I know many ppl feel deep despair about climate, especially post-election. I struggle every day. You are not alone. 2/
https://twitter.com/EricHolthaus/status/817504281955745793
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus)Fri, Jan 06 2017 22:53:03 - There are days where I literally can't work. I'll read a story & shut down for rest of the day. Not much helps besides exercise & time. 3/
https://twitter.com/EricHolthaus/status/817504472683266048
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus)Fri, Jan 06 2017 22:53:49 - The counselor said: "Do what you can", which I think is simple & powerful advice. I'm going to start working a lot more on mindfulness. 4/
https://twitter.com/EricHolthaus/status/817504584465682432
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus)Fri, Jan 06 2017 22:54:16 - Despair is natural when there's objective evidence of a shared existential problem we're not addressing adequately. You feel alone. 5/
https://twitter.com/EricHolthaus/status/817504838065922048
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus)Fri, Jan 06 2017 22:55:16 - You feel powerless. You feel like nothing matters. Your relationships suffer. You feel guilty for "not doing more" 6/
https://twitter.com/EricHolthaus/status/817505019809255424
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus)Fri, Jan 06 2017 22:55:59 - But what the hell am I supposed to do? Write another blog post? Our secretary of state is the fucking Exxon CEO. 7/
https://twitter.com/EricHolthaus/status/817505151720169472
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus)Fri, Jan 06 2017 22:56:31 - Last year we lost a huge chunk of the Great Barrier Reef. We are literally ending existence of animals that were here for millions of yrs 8/
https://twitter.com/EricHolthaus/status/817505461935087616
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus)Fri, Jan 06 2017 22:57:45 - We don't deserve this planet. There are (many) days when I think it would be better off without us. <cue climate denier trolls> 9/
https://twitter.com/EricHolthaus/status/817505567463743488
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus)Fri, Jan 06 2017 22:58:10 - How am I supposed to do my job—literally to chronicle planetary suicide—w/o experiencing deep existential despair myself? Impossible 10/
https://twitter.com/EricHolthaus/status/817505874646220800
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus)Fri, Jan 06 2017 22:59:23 - To me, our emotional/psychological response is *the* story on climate change. It defines how (and if) we will solve the problem. 11/
https://twitter.com/EricHolthaus/status/817506206201716736
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus)Fri, Jan 06 2017 23:00:42 - The number one comment I get is "we're fucked". That's not totally true. In order to "save the planet" we have to confront this despair. 12/
https://twitter.com/EricHolthaus/status/817506410724401154
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus)Fri, Jan 06 2017 23:01:31 - Climate despair, on its own, isn't bad. It's a sign you care. It's just hard to function when you feel weight of the world crashing down.13/
https://twitter.com/EricHolthaus/status/817506670041411584
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus)Fri, Jan 06 2017 23:02:33 - The more I talk about my despair, the more I realize other ppl feel same thing. That makes me hopeful—we are more powerful than we think.14/
https://twitter.com/EricHolthaus/status/817506918709149697
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus)Fri, Jan 06 2017 23:03:32 - I don't have an answer for where to go from here. That's why I'm in counseling. But part of the answer is: don't be afraid to talk. 15/15
https://twitter.com/EricHolthaus/status/817507282321670145
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus)Fri, Jan 06 2017 23:04:59