Now - All the parts - Responding to Emergencies; Let’s Breathe, and Connect; and Let's Remember - We have Will, Power, Agency, Voices and Choices

This next part in my Now series really covers all the parts...

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I was kindly invited by the young people of the Ballarat Action Climate Co-op to speak at their Climate Fair on 21 March 2020. I was really looking forward to speaking, though also nervous because I have never spoken in front of a large group of people before.

And then everything in the world was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

So I thought I would make a video instead, another thing I have never done before, to share what I was going to speak about (and more), because these times call for us all to step out of our comfort zone and into the growth zone.

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I made the video in parts (Part 1 is the above!). I was asked to speak at the Climate Fair as a representative of the Ballarat Climate Action Network, about the imminent Victorian Government decision regarding Emissions Reduction Targets, and I was scheduled to speak for around 5 minutes. Of course I got a little carried away while making videos instead... So if you’re struggling at this time of emergencies on top of emergencies on top of emergencies, check out Part 4 - Let’s Breathe, and get in touch if you'd like ideas for further support (I will be writing more on this too). If you are in Victoria, check out how you can make your voice count right now by watching Part 5 about the Victorian Emissions Reduction Targets. My favourite video is probably the last one, so please check that one out. (Also, an aside... I've been meaning for ages to write a piece called Embrace Your Face, focussing in mostly on how I learned to love every single one of my wrinkles, and associated wider associations around this. I will get to that one day, but meanwhile, having watched myself on these videos, I now see how I created my awesome wrinkles! If you have no better reason to watch these videos, watch them just to check out my forehead in action. It speaks its own language! Especially in the last video where all my emotions come in.)

If you prefer reading to videos, skip to the bottom for transcripts. But the last part needs watching for the special extra at the end (listen for little person cuteness plus check out my absolute lack of technical ability - here's to doing it anyway).

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Videos

Part 1 - Intro (as written above)

 

See: Ballarat Action Climate Co-op

Part 2 - Representing

See: Ballarat Climate Action Network (or facebook)

Hepburn Relocalisation Network (or facebook)

You Tell Our Kids

Part 3 - Emergencies

Part 4 - Let's Breathe

See: Australian Psychological Society
Psychology for a Safe Climate
Good Grief Network 
Info about Good Grief Groups I am running locally (for now online)

Part 5 - Victorian Emissions Reduction Targets

See: Ballarat Climate Action Network (or facebook)
Act on Climate Vic (or facebook)
Environment Victoria info graphic comparing 1.5°C and 2°C of warming
Article in The Courier

Part 6a - Que Sera, Sera

(Note re Que Sera: Oops! I checked the original words belatedly and I got it wrong in the video. The original first verse words are 'Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?' and the third verse words are 'Will I be handsome? Will I be rich?' Some other minor differences, but same story still applies anyway...!)
See: How social 'tipping points' could limit global warming
Joel Pett's Climate Summit cartoon

Part 6b - Que Sera, Sera - What Will We Will Into Being?

See: The World As We Know It Is Ending - So Now What?

See also the very bottom of this post for an addition to the image that I didn't manage to magically animate into the above video with accompanying soundtrack. Also a pic of my ridiculous technology set up used to make this last video, just for a laugh at my ineptitude... :-) (You might need to turn up the volume...)

Transcripts

Part 2 - Representing

I am a representative of the Ballarat Climate Action Network and I will be speaking today about the upcoming Victorian Government decision regarding the Emissions Reduction Targets for 2025 and 2030. I will also talk about further action for climate, and action generally that is good for our future, particularly within this current situation.

I thought I would wear a t shirt from my days working with the Hepburn Relocalisation Network around a decade ago, because Relocalisation is one of the key things that the world really needs, right now. Relocalisation is all about the many ways to build connected and resilient local communities and systems that support everyday life in a wonderful way, and that are strong in the face of any emergency. What better to put efforts towards right now. Look up the Hepburn Relocalisation Network to find out more about the many diverse things that are part of this. 

I also represent Living Lightly With Love, my very own organisation, so named because that’s what I aim to do, to share, to be, and to bring more of into the world, day by day, to the best of my ever growing abilities, in everything that I do, from my personal choices, to my life work, to my climate activism.

And, as a mum of small children, almost 2 and almost 4 years old, I represent them also, and I have also joined a movement of mothers called You Tell Our Kids.

Part III - Emergencies

So here we are, in a climate emergency, with a pandemic emergency thrown in on top of it, just as we are at the very beginning of the recovery from an unprecedented summer of bushfire emergencies. It is worth noting, at this point, that while this pandemic has not been caused by the climate crisis (though it's possibly true to say it has been exacerbated by a globalisation crisis), the science says that just as climate change will cause, or rather is already causing, an increase in the frequency and severity of bushfires, so too will it cause an increase in deadly disease outbreaks and pandemics. So with that in mind, why don't we do our all to reverse this right now, by working back to the causal factors, and meanwhile working to build stronger and more resilient communities and systems. The good news is we have already loads of ideas out there about how to do all this, all we need to do is get on with it. With gusto.

Part IV - Let’s Breathe

Let’s start with a deep, slow breath in, and a long, slow breath out.

When our bodies respond physiologically to emergencies, our system gets flooded with cortisol and adrenaline, and our brains start to work differently. When we are faced with an immediate threat, this is what helps us to fight, or to flee. But when the threat is longer term, or more distant, it's important to take the time to calm our nervous systems, however we can, so that our bodies don't burn out, and so that we can think more clearly. Spending time in nature, relaxing, meditating, practising mindfulness - particularly with self-compassion, having a laugh with our friends and families, having a dance, playing some music. Whatever allows us to slow down the sense of panic and reduce the feelings of overwhelm, and allow us to think more clearly about what to do right now, and the steps to take towards the future. On this note, there are many resources on the internet to aid us in dealing with and responding to our emotional reactions to these emergencies. The Australian Psychological Society, Psychology for a Safe Climate and the Good Grief Network, to list just a few places to find these resources. I am also running local (now online) Good Grief Groups, so get in touch if you would like to find out more. This work is important.

So let’s take another little pause. Release the tension in your bodies, let your shoulders drop away from your ears, wriggle around a little bit, whatever feels good. You can also think of something in your life or in the world that brings you joy, peace or calm and focus on that with a sense of deep gratitude. And let's breathe, deep and slow.

So now let's try to keep our brains set to using our control centres, instead of just our panic stations. And remember to keep returning to practices that help you restore calm, as needed. Take time to relax, enjoy nature, meditate, dance, play and laugh, in amongst all the craziness. And remember that the more you practice, the easier this becomes.

Part V - Victorian Emissions Reduction Targets (ERTs)

Now let’s focus in, on one key thing that is happening right now, in the world of climate action, right here, in Victoria. Despite all that is going on in the world right now, in each of our lives right now; amongst the chaos, this is important.

The Victorian Government is currently in the final days of deciding Emissions Reduction Targets for 2025 and 2030, towards reaching the target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions already legislated for 2050. Check out ballaratclimate.com or go to Ballarat Climate Action Network on facebook, to find out more of the details on this, and, most importantly, how you can help. It is important that the Victorian Government hears from us at this time, that they know that we are still watching, listening and waiting for this decision. It is important that they know that we want our government to set strong, bold and ambitious targets, in line with the best science and in line with keeping global warming to less than 1.5 degrees C. This is crucial to ensure a safer future for all.

We need to be clear with the Government that targets in line with keeping warming to 2 degrees are not enough. According to the 2008 Garnaut review, by 2050 the irrigated agricultural output from the Murray Darling Basin would be halved, and by the end of the century the Basin would no longer be home to agriculture – this is a clear indicator that our food security would be seriously impacted. 2 degrees also means no more Great Barrier Reef. Environment Victoria has a very clear info graphic comparing the impacts of 1.5°C and 2°C, including the loss of plant and insect species, extreme heat exposure and the disappearance of Arctic sea-ice. Here in Australia we are already seeing unprecedented bushfires; droughts and floods will only increase. Pandemics will increase. The next decade is crucial. These 2025 and 2030 targets are crucial. We must do all we can to mitigate the greater, more all-pervasive, dangerous and deadly emergency that is the climate emergency.

At the start of March Ballarat Climate Action Network sent out a call to our community, asking for support for climate action. We received rapid responses from local community leaders, the Ballarat Regional Trades and Labour Council, and environmental groups, who were all keen to broadcast their support for targets in line with keeping warming to less than 1.5°C. We have sent the statement of community support, along with a letter urging action, to the Premier Daniel Andrews, the Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Energy, Lily D’Ambrosio and to our local Members of Parliament. 

The Courier reported on the support of the Ballarat region for ambitious targets, referencing this statement, and also the support of local state MPs Michaela Settle and Juliana Addison, who after meeting with local community members, have committed to “lead the drive for less than 1.5°C.” The Courier report also included comments in support of 1.5°C targets from Cr Belinda Coates, Deputy Mayor of Ballarat, who also referred to council support for strong targets across Victoria.

It is imperative that the Government knows the Victorian people are watching, and that the community calls for ambitious targets that will build on the climate leadership the Victorian Government has previously shown and drive the action that is needed for a safer climate. They need to know that we want less emissions, not more; that we want them to restore the ban on gas drilling recently lifted; that we need all movement away from fossil fuels and towards cleaner sources of energy; and changes in systems to work towards limiting warming to less than 1.5°C. Let the Government hear your voice by calling or writing to the Premier and Minister Lily D’Ambrosio. Let them know the Ballarat region wants Climate Action Now! Go to ballaratclimate.com for all the info on how to do this. Thank you.

(See also Act on Climate Vic, or facebook.)

Part VI - Que Sera

To continue, if you'll indulge me by listening a little longer, a personal story.

As I said earlier, I’m a mum of two small children, who are almost 2 and almost 4 years old. In the year 2050, they will turn 32 and 34, and I will turn 71. I have long been concerned about the destruction of our natural world – the extinction of species, the loss of wilderness, the changing climate… All this has caused me much grief and despair over the years. But to be honest, I don't think I ever thought that it would come to this, to this point at which we now find ourselves. And it is hard sometimes not to feel frightened, even terrified at the lack of wider action going on. For me, the truth dawned slowly, then more rapidly, as I learned more about our situation around a decade ago, and at that time it hit me hard. Since then I have worked hard to keep building my personal resilience, alongside continuing to do the work that I can do towards the change we need for a better future.

Meanwhile, most nights, I sing to my little girls, and one of the songs I usually sing is Que Sera, because my mum sang it to me when I was small. Perhaps you know the song.

The first verse and chorus usually runs:

When I was just a little girl,

I asked my mother ‘What will I be?’

Will I be famous? Will I be rich?’

Here’s what she said to me.

‘Que sera, sera

Whatever will be, will be

The future’s not ours to see

Que sera, sera.’

(Note: I belatedly checked and oops, the first verse words are usually 'Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?' Same story applies anyway... See below)

In the second verse, the little girl grows up, falls in love, and asks her sweetheart ‘What lies ahead? Will there be rainbows, day after day?’ I've actually decided to sing about rainbows for all three verses, because being rich or famous doesn’t matter to me, but rainbows are one of Nature’s miracles, and the rain and sunshine that make them happen are two of the miraculous elements of Nature that make Life on Earth possible, and these elements are what we truly must hold sacred.

The Que sera clincher comes in verse 3. Some weeks I read a lot of stories that help me hold some hope for the future. Good news stories about action that is happening, decisions that have been made; sometimes ironic reductions in emissions due to pandemics; ways we can make change happen for a better future; the social tipping points - that we are actually very close to - such as revealing the morally harmful nature of fossil fuels, and divesting from those fossil fuels, that could work together, to actually limit warming... Other weeks I read too much of the science about what will happen if we don’t make changes, massive changes, urgently, right now; or about what is already happening, now, no matter what we do. And in those weeks, when I sing the third verse to my little girls, it makes me cry. Because we have already lost so much. All the species that have gone extinct. Forests burned that will not regenerate because they already suffered die off from drought and temperature increases. And that's just the beginning.

Now I have children of my own

They ask their mother

‘What lies ahead?’…

But. 

The chorus continues, like the first verses…

Que sera, sera

Whatever will be, will be

But.

It is not just “Que sera, sera. What will be, will be.”

Because we have will. We have power. We have agency. We have our voices. And we have choices.

And we can choose change. We can choose the change we want. And we can use our voices, our agency, our power, and our will, to make it happen.

I read some wise words about change about 7 years ago, when I was going through a lot of internal, personal change, and these words have stuck with me as important words to remember.

"Change is hard because people overestimate the value of what they have and underestimate the value of what they may gain by giving that up."

And right now what we have to gain is absolutely everything.

Like my favourite climate cartoon by Joel Pett. Set at a Climate Summit, an audience member asks “What if it’s a big hoax and we create a better world for nothing?” while on screen a list includes just some of the things that we have to gain:

-       Energy independence

-       Preserve rainforests

-       Sustainability

-       Green jobs

-       Livable cities

-       Renewables

-       Clean water, and air

-       Healthy children

-       Etc. etc.

It’s not all gone, yet.

But we have to make this happen.

And that’s maybe a little scary too. Because it means letting go of elements of the life we have now, and the future we thought we were going to have, and stepping into the unknown. Stepping out of our comfort zones and into our growth zones.

But if we give ourselves a push, ask for help if we need it, and take that first step, the whole world opens up and becomes brighter.

We connect to our deeper, better, higher selves – strong and vulnerable, afraid and courageous, always learning what it is we do not yet know, and finding at the same time what we have always truly known already.

We find strong, deeper connections with our communities, and with the whole world around us.

We work with our passions, following our hearts and our souls and living our dreams. All for the highest and greatest good of all.

We have work to do, and together we can do it. 

So remember:

You have will; you have power; you have agency. You have choice, and you have your voice. 

Say it with me:
I have will. I have power. I have agency. I have choice. And I have my voice.

Let’s make our choices consciously and intentionally, and let our voices be heard. Let’s build this new world together.

Thank you. Thanks for listening. (Or reading!)

So, you can see how, ultimately, all the parts I'm working on, came into this story...! And I'm just going to keep writing more about all of these parts as I go. As on we go, from Now, to the Future, growing all that is Good! Together.

And in celebration of my amazing technological solutions... The set up I used to make the last video, plus my phone not pictured because I was using it to take the picture, but which also recorded the original sound - at bedtime - which I transferred to my computer to play through the old stereo so I could record it as a soundtrack while videoing my picture of 'How Now to the Future?' It didn't come out exactly as it was in my mind somehow. I know, it's a surprise considering my amazing set up. But the essence is there anyway...

Now - Part II and III - Supporting myself, and, Supporting others - Round 1 - The Good Grief Network

Continuing my series on what I am doing now to fully be, to the best of my growing ability and capability, all the pieces of the puzzle that together form my piece of the bigger picture puzzle of what we need to build a better future, today I'm looking at one very important way that I am supporting myself, and also, working to support others.

It is really so very important for us all to always - and especially in these crazy times - make time to look after ourselves; to nurture ourselves so that we can heal and grow, so we can be strong and able and well functioning. Aside from enabling us to be in our best states of wellbeing, this is also a very important part of building the foundations of a caring and compassionate culture.

So amongst the myriad of ways I find to support myself (which I will continue to expand upon) - at least when I remember to, and when I find, or make, the time - a recent endeavour that I have found personally really very supportive in just the right ways on many occasions, was connecting with the Good Grief Network, and taking part in a round of their 10 step program.

I am shortly beginning to run my own groups of this amazing program, in different locations close to me, with the aim to extend that support to others also. Please see my Good Grief Network page for details of upcoming programs, and read on to find out more about my own experience with the program and why I am so glad to be able to share the experience with others.

I first came across the Good Grief Network after the 2019 Federal election in Australia, which in the lead up had been dubbed by some as the "climate election". As it turned out, the climate lost the election, and many people in Australia were thrown into shock, horror, disbelief, anger, fear, grief and despair; myself included. 

For whatever reason I found myself on facebook more than usual following that, perhaps trying to find comfort in the community of shared feelings there, or perhaps in some weird compulsion to try to comprehend what had happened. This then also meant I was confronted by many of the bad news stories posted about the state of the climate, society and the world. And of course the nature of facebook being to reinforce anything that catches your attention by bringing up more of the same, it was all amplified the more I looked. I struggled to keep from overwhelm and paralysis, and connected with others to talk about "what do we do now?" My littles had then recently turned 1 and 3, so I was also starting to peer out, somewhat bleary eyed, from the cave of all consuming baby and toddler, double trouble and double cuddle (hands full both ways!!) motherhood (albeit perhaps still from within the cave of somewhat still fairly all consuming toddler and preschooler double trouble and double cuddle motherhood!).

I've previously written more about that time, so now to focus back to the topic of today… So, in amongst all that, in amongst all the bad news, doom and gloom, I came across an NBC article which described the Good Grief Network program. I immediately flagged this as something I would like to look further into and started telling others about it too. (I actually even took a printed copy of the article into the office of my local Federal (Labor) MP to drop it off with a scrawled note asking for her to take this side of things into consideration as she had been Shadow Health Minister and I hadn't yet twigged she'd changed portfolios, before I later did some upskilling in MP engagement - more on that another day…!) I had recently started studying a Diploma of Counselling, and the Good Grief Network program seemed very complementary to that, and to my long term focus on the issues of our environment, and climate change in particular, and also to my own personal experiences of that point in time, and also previous times when I had become overwhelmed by the immensity of it all.

So before too long, I looked up the Good Grief Network, and I just kept getting more interested the more I looked, so I signed up to take part in an online round of the program. I had also noted with great interest that the program is designed for people to be able to bring it to their local communities and facilitate their own program, and I registered my interest in doing this also.

The experience of taking part in the program is actually remarkably difficult to encapsulate. I think this is perhaps because of its depth and breadth and the real full extent of the value of it, that continues to unfold even after a round of the program is complete. And possibly in equal measure because of the genuine loving and compassionate authenticity of the two wonderful, wise, intelligent, open minded and open hearted people, LaUra Schmidt and Aimee Lewis-Reau, who between them have developed and run the program and its network, along with the amazing variety of participants and facilitators that are also attracted to taking part.

The program is titled "10 Steps to Personal Resilience and Empowerment in a Chaotic Climate," and it runs as a weekly group discussion on the topic, or step, of the week. Each week, in advance of the meeting, a description of the topic of the week, along with a series of quotes and links to further resources in the form of articles, videos, podcasts, poetry and more, are sent out for people to explore to the extent that they like. Each weekly meeting begins with an introductory script, then a round of check ins, then one person from the group reads the description for the week. Each person then has a turn to share their thoughts and feelings, while the group practises active listening to ensure each person feels heard. Then there is time for any additional thoughts and feelings from anyone in the group, before a closing script is read, noting that each person's opinions are their own, and that each person may take what they like and leave the rest, as we all continue to do the work, and meet again for the next step the following week. A round of check outs completes the meeting.

The absolutely well-designed 10 steps are as follows:

Step 1 – Accept the Severity of the Predicament

Step 2 – Acknowledge that I am Part of the Problem and Solutions

Step 3 – Practice Being with Uncertainty

Step 4 – Honour My Own Mortality and the Mortality of All

Step 5 – Do Inner Work

Step 6 – Develop Awareness of Brain Patterns and Perception

Step 7 – Practice Gratitude

Step 8 – Take Breaks and Rest

Step 9 – Show Up

Step 10 – Reinvest into Meaningful Efforts

Aside from the program structure and content, which is so well thought out and considered and developed, I think a lot of the power of the program is also in its form as a group discussion program. Recently I attended a panel discussion organised by the Melbourne group Psychology for a Safe Climate, on "Meeting the emotional challenges of facing the climate emergency", which reinforced for me the importance of us allowing ourselves the time and space to acknowledge the big and heavy feelings all of this brings up, and also the importance of doing this in community. And how doing this enables us to keep going, to keep taking care of ourselves and others, and to keep working forward to a better future. Dr Sally Gillespie from the Sydney group the Climate Wellbeing Network also spoke about her work with groups, and how discussing these things in groups leads to others in the group putting words to our own thoughts, feelings and experiences that we perhaps haven't found words for yet. When she said that, I thought "yes!" because that is exactly what I have told people about my experience taking part in the Good Grief Network program last year.

My feeling is that each person might take something different from the program, as each person may need something different from it, but everyone will feel the value of joining a community and sharing all the heavy emotions and thoughts that can be such a burden to hold alone.

For me, since taking part in the program, I notice a definite sense of how the program has contributed to my resilience (which was much needed!) and my empowerment (also needed!), and also my ability to stay connected to my heart and to work from a place of inner strength and peace while acknowledging the despair, grief or fear that still rear time to time, because the reality is not going away just yet. I notice my ability to take action has increased and I feel the connection between my actions and hope and hope and my actions, even when hope isn't always easy to find. I also notice how all this has the feeling of a process that is ongoing. I notice when it is time for me to take a break more easily, and I give myself the space and time for that. I can better allow the big feelings when they come up and I can sit with them with more mindfulness and self-compassion. I can keep working to better myself and change my habits and actions without berating myself for not being perfect already. I find perhaps sometimes strange comfort in different steps at different moments. I have learnt so much I can't explain it all right here right now, but it enriches and informs my life and my work ongoing, without a doubt.

I am greatly looking forward to running, and taking part in my own groups starting soon, as I know that joining with a new group undertaking the process of moving through the steps of the program will help me also to continue to grow and develop and learn and to become still stronger, and I am just so excited to be able to bring this to others too. I remain connected with the people from my online group last year, and I am looking forward to connecting with people closer to home in my own groups. And on we go. Growing, learning together, supporting each other and building resilient and empowered communities as we each become more resilient and empowered.