Don't give up! How to stay healthy, happy and combative in impossible political times
Every week it seems there is something new to protest about. If we are now in the Anthropocene age – where human effects on the globe take precedence over nature – we are also in the age of activism, one of protesting against our damaging impact on the world. This dissent has moved beyond the fringes of political engagement to packing our streets with people and placards bearing slogans that range from seeking to stave off climate change to stopping Donald Trump and staying in the EU. Protests are increasingly taking in wider age ranges and demographics, too, but for those grassroots organisers for whom this is a long-term mission, the toll of such responsibility can be a heavy one.
Activism comes with all the stresses of any job – long hours, “office” politics and overflowing inboxes. Couple this with the fact that activism is in a sense defined by its marginality and the job sits firmly between a rock and a hard place. How, then, do activists stay motivated when the odds are against them?
Spend time outside
“Try to spend a little time outdoors, whether it is in a city park or out in the woods or mountains. One of the things we are fighting for is a world where nature still has some place and so it’s good to get out and remind ourselves of that. I try
