If you know anything about me then you know that my journey to becoming a climate mom began in Denmark.
A unique life experience that was a huge part of my transformation was walking my dog. His name is Vitus, and he is adorable! But, that is totally not the point. Although, you may find extra pictures here just so I can make sure you know how truly adorable he is.
Life before
Prior to our family’s move to Denmark, I worked a lot. We owned a business, and I was the primary there, while my husband was the primary at home. We hiked as a family quite often on the weekends. But, I always had a time clock. Errands to run, other activities to attend, and a whole “should be doing list” that kept me focused ahead instead of in the present. I cannot really remember ever walking alone. If I did, it was a once off kind of thing.
When we first arrived in Denmark, my husband was recovering from a knee injury, so I took on the dog walking responsibility. I walked more than six hundred miles in that first six months – alone, a lot of that in the dark, and even more of that in the rain. During our first month, our belongings still had not arrived, so I walked in the dark without a headlamp. I do not recommend this because at least once, I bumped quite painfully into a tree. Regardless, there was something incredible about walking in the dark woods.
It probably sounds ridiculous, but I was resetting myself and wandering by myself (and with Vitus too, of course) through nature with nowhere else to be. It was centering, inspiring, and gave me so much time to quietly be me. The peace that I found in nature is undeniable. And it was life changing.
Steering away from chaos
Now that I am back in the United States, I am aware of how fleeting that state of being is. I cherish the fact that I had such an amazing opportunity to feel it. I am trying to make sure that I keep bringing myself back to it. When I start to get that internal frenetic feeling, I pause, go for a walk, take deep breaths outside and release everything that really – big picture – does not matter! Giving myself time to be still until I find that place again is so important. I have a bit of a fear that I will lose the feeling and not be able to find my way back.
If you are like me, and have lived (are living) in chaos, then you know what I mean. There are three reasons that I want to share this now. First, writing about it helps to remind me to live in that grounded relaxed space. Second, because if you have not experienced this, I want to share some ideas to help you to try and find it. And third, our world more than ever needs us to be those kinds of people – the breath in nature kind.
The frantic, stressed-out versions of us do not make good decisions for ourselves or for the world. It is in that space of living that we make the poorest climate decisions. We tend to be more wasteful, and use more single use items. We choose comfort food – which a lot of times means take-out or delivery – over plant-based options. We do more damage to the world than our peaceful selves ever could!
Get off the roller coaster!
I get it! I was there! And I really would not have understood it all if I had not had the opportunity to experience life in the way that I have done for the last two years. It is possible to get off the roller coaster and to live differently! If you cannot find a way to do it for yourself, knowing that you are helping to save the world may inspire you to try. Nothing here in this space is EVER meant to create guilt or be condescending. I continue to be on the journey, doing my best to change to habits that will help save the world for my daughter. I hope some of these ideas help your psyche and encourage you to more climate action.
Here are a couple of tips that I am using to continue to bring me back to the way that I lived as a Dane. These things help to keep nature in TOMA (top of mind awareness):
TOMA tips:
- Go outside and breathe. If you can, get to a park or a bit of nature and just take deep breaths through your nose. Hold it for a few seconds, and then release the breath through your mouth. The most inspiring thing for me is walking in the forest amongst the trees. I close my eyes for a minute and just breath. If you find yourself in a forest, take a minute to appreciate all that nature is doing and can do – especially without human interference. If you want to increase your connection, I can recommend reading this book, The Power of Trees by Peter Wohlleben. Reading it has enhanced every minute of my walks in the forest.
- Eat a plant-based dinner at a table outside under the stars. The benefits are immense.
- No electronics. Electronics are big energy users so unplugging helps to save energy and minimizes – even just a bit – our usage of fossil fuels.
- Human connection and fresh air. Connecting with your family in conversation while sitting outside breathing in fresh air – that is a memory made! Even if it is cold, hot, snowing, and/or raining! The Danes say that there is no such thing as bad weather only inappropriate clothing. We bundled up on New Year’s Eve and enjoyed a lovely meal and conversation outside. It was an extremely sweet and grounded way to enter the new year.
- Plants emit much less greenhouse gas – from food production through waste – so skipping animal products in a meal, even occasionally, makes a positive environmental impact. If you want a great book that helps to explain how eating less meat and dairy helps, I recommend We Are The Weather, by Jonathan Safran Foer. It is a wonderful read filled with a ton of important climate facts that everyone should know.
- Start your day with a cup of tea outside.
- Watching as the sky lightens for the day. There are some amazing colors that develop in the morning sky. I am always amazed and reminded of the greatness of nature. Even when it is cold outside it is a refreshing and peaceful way to start your day. You only need to spend a few minutes outside to receive the benefits.
- When I can, I follow my cup of tea with 10 minutes of stretching. Just simple stretches to keep my range of motion and posture healthy.
- The last bit of my morning routine is reading a book for 20-30 minutes. In my quest to become a successful climate mom, one of my top priorities is learning from others. I read every day to ensure that if I am sharing something climate related, I am spreading reliable information. Here are two books that I read recently that can help if you are trying to do more household-based climate action, Imagine It! a handbook for a happier planet, Laurie David & Heather Reisman and Mothering Earth, by Julia Rockwell.
So much of my life in Denmark was lived outside. The outdoors is an easy backdrop for living at a slower pace, more relaxed, and in a beneficial way. The more that nature gives back to you, the more you will be reminded about doing good for the climate.
Go on, get outside! And, here are the extra pictures of my boy that I promised!:)
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