When the comfortable structures of my life collapsed after divorce, I found myself standing at the edge of an uncertain future. I’m Maya, founder of Empower with Nature, but my path to environmental advocacy wasn’t straightforward or planned. In my thirties, despite the material security of my white-collar career, I faced profound questions that my professional expertise couldn’t answer: What type of life did I want? How could I secure a sustainable future?
What began as personal anxiety evolved into purpose. The more I embraced not knowing, the more I discovered nature’s capacity to heal, guide and empower. This realization became the foundation for Empower with Nature, where we help others transform environmental concern into meaningful action, advocating for a deeper connection to our environment.
The wisdom of not knowing
In my work exploring uncertainty, I’ve discovered that our most profound growth often happens when we stand at the edge of what we know. I’m Diana, co-author of Not Knowing: the art of turning uncertainty into opportunity, leadership educator and coach. I’ve spent years supporting people to navigate uncertainty – whether in business, relationships or our connection with the natural world.
Climate change represents what I call “the edge” for humanity – that threshold between the known and the unknown where we’re forced to reconsider everything. The anxiety many feel about environmental futures isn’t something to avoid; it’s a signal that we’re confronting something significant beyond our understanding.
The disconnect between work and nature
In our modern world, we enjoy countless comforts that have helped us progress from mere survival to a richer, more balanced existence. However, this progress often distances us from the natural world, fostering a consumerist culture that breeds anxiety. In our workplaces, we’ve created artificial environments where we believe we can control everything. The illusion of control has severed our connection with the natural world’s rhythms and patterns.
A study from Bath University reveals that “over half of young people aged 16–25 experience daily climate anxiety, with 61% criticizing governmental responses to environmental issues.”¹ In the workplace, individuals desire alignment with societal values; a McKinsey & Company survey found that 82% of employees view a company’s societal purpose as vital to their performance and retention.²
As ecological psychologist Theodore Roszak states, “Ecopsychology seeks to heal the more fundamental alienation between the person and the natural environment.”³ This alienation stifles our creativity and limits our interactions with nature’s diverse ecosystems, depriving us of joy, learning, and authentic experiences.
Understanding eco-anxiety: Standing at the edge
Eco-anxiety is more than just worry – it’s a profound emotional response to climate change and environmental issues, largely stemming from our disconnection from nature. As urbanization progresses, many people have developed a fear of the natural world, retreating into artificial environments. This separation contributes to feelings of helplessness and unease about the planet’s future.
- When faced with environmental uncertainty, we typically react in one of several ways:
- Some attempt to control through rigid planning
- Others withdraw into passivity
- Many get stuck in endless analysis without action
- Some focus exclusively on worst-case scenarios
These aren’t signs of weakness but normal human responses to uncertainty. Recognizing these patterns creates space for more conscious engagement with environmental challenges.
From anxiety to action
In a world increasingly burdened by eco-anxiety, it is essential to find ways to mend our relationship with nature. By acknowledging and embracing the emotions associated with this anxiety, we can embark on a journey of personal growth that simultaneously nurtures our environment, opening pathways for initiatives promoting environmental stewardship.
The most effective approaches combine both top-down and bottom-up strategies, such as setting clear sustainability goals with measurable targets, creating space for employees to express exo-anxiety, as well as individual approaches such as fostering a ‘growth mindset’ that views environmental challenges as opportunities to develop new skills.
Micro-practices to tackle eco-anxiety
In both of our work areas, we’ve found that learning to be comfortable with not knowing is essential for tackling eco-anxiety and reconnecting with nature:
- Purposeful observation – choose a natural space near your workplace or home. Visit regularly, allowing yourself to walk, sit, and absorb the tranquility of your surroundings but each time with fresh eyes – noticing something you’ve never seen before.
- Sensory engagement – use all five senses to experience nature. Allow the environment to envelop you, creating a restorative experience that fosters a deeper connection with the Earth. This pulls you into the present moment, temporarily suspending the anxiety of future uncertainty.
- Question habitual thinking – when environmental concerns arise, practice asking “What don’t I know about this situation?” before jumping to conclusions or solutions.
- Community connection – share your concerns with colleagues, friends, family. When we create a network of support around eco-anxiety, we grow stronger and build resilience.
By embracing the discomfort of eco-anxiety rather than avoiding it, we can transform our relationship with both uncertainty and nature. This doesn’t mean passively accepting environmental destruction – quite the opposite. It means approaching environmental challenges with the humility to recognize what we don’t know and the courage to act anyway.
And as we reconnect with nature, we transform eco-anxiety into a powerful catalyst for positive change.
References
¹ University of Bath and the Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health, 2021.
² BBC – The Search for Meaning at Work
³ Theodore Roszak, The Voice of the Earth, (Grand Rapids: Phanes Press, 1992).
Thank you for reading. If you liked this guest blog, check out our latest piece on the importance of uniting businesses and nature for a sustainable future
