Solastalgia - The Homesickness We Feel While Still at Home
Anne Therese Gennari
Climate Optimist I Author & Speaker I IDGs I Transformative Leadership Starts From Within
In this issue:
Happy World Environment Day ??
On this important day, I wanted to share a profound term I’ve come across that resonated deeply. Solastalgia is the feeling of being homesick while you’re still at home. It’s the pain of recognizing that our natural world, our home, is dying and the grief that can sometimes be unbearable to hold.
I used to be afraid of these feelings of despair but the more I’ve worked with emotional resilience and integrative healing, the more I’ve come to understand that these emotions, too, may empower us.?
“There’s a hidden secret in the despair paradox. Going down the depths of despair can also bring healing.… The more we let death—even the threats of extinction—into our souls, the more we can appreciate the current vibrant vitality of life in its many forms. And we may even be transformed by it.”
*The concept of Solastalgia comes from the Australian philosopher?Glenn Albrecht.
Are our chosen identities keeping us stuck?
We just did something big! We changed the hustle and bustle of New York City for a more peaceful existence in the Massachusetts countryside. (WHOOP) But although the thought of moving has enticed us for quite some time, it was still a scary decision. Was it the right move?
It should’ve been obvious. We moved back to the city post pandemic without kids, now we have a wild toddler to share our home with and another one on the way. We were outgrowing our one-bedroom apartment - by a lot - and the intensity of the city was starting to get to us. Both my husband and I have fully remote jobs and we thrive in the presence of nature, so exchanging concrete buildings and tiny offices for more space (literal and spiritual) should’ve been an easy choice. Yet, the decision to relocate was extremely difficult. Why?
Because our identities had been tied to the city for so long.
I remember one day walking down West End Avenue feeling particularly torn about the decision. Do we move, or do we stay a little longer? My desire to get out and feel the grass under my feet was strong, but I couldn’t help but feel like I would rip myself apart.
I left my home country Sweden to chase the NYC dream and have loved it since the day I set foot there. The opportunities, the connections, the life!
I made this bold decision to move here. I followed the infamous “if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere” and felt very happy about the fact that I had indeed made it. I felt pride there - this was who I was!
But then I saw the truck. A big pink moving truck was parked just down the street with the most direct message I could’ve ever asked for.
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“Don’t worry, you can leave New York and still be a New Yorker.”
I kid you not. That was exactly what the big white text said and it was so fitting, it made me stop in my steps. If the Universe was trying to send me a sign, this was it.
(These pink moving trucks are very popular in NYC but I haven’t seen one with that very message since.)
How much are we holding ourselves back?
I finally trusted the signs and we packed up our little apartment and headed north. Sitting here now, on the picnic table outside, listening to the birds sing while I wait for my daughter to wake up, I know it was the best decision we could’ve made. I thank myself for daring to move on!
And I’m sharing this story as a reminder of how easy it is to get stuck in previous commitments. For better and for worse. Intentional decisions don’t just change the course of our lives, they become who we are. And once you attach an identity to something, may it be a title, a location, or even food, it’s really hard to question those identities and move on.
However, who we are can always change, and the world around us with it. And the more we dare to trust the golden path and continue to seek happiness in new realities, the faster we can unlock even better possibilities, societies, and worlds.
Things worth questioning, if you wish to grow and change the world
Climate Optimism
Climate Change Curriculum at Harvard — Last year Harvard Medical School’s (HMS implemented new climate change curriculum to help prepare future doctors to incorporate the impacts of climate change into their clinical practice. And it’s been a success! Learn more here
Vermont becomes first state passing law requiring fossil fuel companies to pay for climate change damages — Last summer, Vermont experienced a billion-dollar disaster when an estimated two months’ worth of rain fell in just two days, leaving towns isolated and even a railroad track dangling mid-air. And now, the state has passed a first-in-the-nation law that will require “Big Oil” to pay for damage caused by climate change. See the post
No need for countries to issue new oil, gas, or coal licenses, study finds — Researchers say the world has enough fossil fuel projects planned to meet demand forecasts to 2050 if net zero is reached. The Guardian
… and to some more concerning news:
Earth’s atmosphere is trapping twice as much heat as it did in 1993 — Earth’s energy imbalance, a key measure of global warming, has doubled in the past 20 years, raising concerns about how much heat the oceans are absorbing. Learn more here
So insightful Anne Therese! This is such an inspiring perspective on the state of despair we can sometimes find ourselves in - “The more we let death—even the threats of extinction—into our souls, the more we can appreciate the current vibrant vitality of life in its many forms. And we may even be transformed by it.” ??????