To Love the Planet, We Must Love Ourselves First
by Aida Mercado
Caring for the planet is a beautiful, yet exhausting commitment we make to ourselves and our communities. The same goals that drive us one day, may break us the next. Occasionally, we wonder if it's all worth it. I’m here to tell you what you already know deep down inside; it absolutely is!
It’s crucial for us to remember that in order to love the planet, we must first love ourselves. I will not get into the details of self care in this article, but there are plenty of amazing resources out there for that. I do, however, wish to discuss the importance of checking in with ourselves and each other often, because honoring the planet is a draining act of love.
As children, we discover that nature can be our biggest playground, as well as a mesmerizing, fully stocked classroom. We quickly learn that getting our feet dirty, feeling the warmth of the sun on our faces and taking in the scent of flowers will not only soothe us, but center and ground us. We use our five senses to explore the world, and in the process, explore ourselves.
Plenty of research has been done on the physical and psychological benefits that being exposed to nature provides us, ranging from stress and anger reduction, to improved sleep and decreased blood pressure. It goes without saying that spending quality time in nature also impacts us spiritually, by creating a sense of gratitude and connection. It teaches us balance, freedom, and focus.
Every time we step outdoors, we get a glimpse of art, of a message, of the past and the future merged into one. Being one with our planet is rewarding for both body and soul. Simultaneously however, the awareness that we will never have all of the answers, that we will not stop every climate disaster, or save every endangered animal species, that we will not feed every hungry mouth or clothe every naked body, is not only draining, but heart wrenching.
Although we may be tempted at times, giving up is not an option. Instead, it’s imperative to focus on the changes that we can make and on the things that we can control, like the corporations we support or the food we consume. We must keep fighting for what feels right, while still remembering to be gentle with ourselves. We are human, we are imperfect, we are nature.
In the book Untamed, Glennon Doyle writes
“Being human is not hard because you’re doing it wrong. It’s hard because you’re doing it right. You will never change the fact that being human is hard, so you must change your idea that it was ever supposed to be easy.”
The solutions will not be found in one approach because together, we are stronger. We must stay compassionate with our environment, with one another and with ourselves. Let’s strive to live intentionally and to always remember, we are only human.
Our true beauty comes from our humanity.
