220. Eco Anxiety, Burnout, and the Path to Sustainable Activism with Laura Hartley

In 2023, we released an episode about eco-anxiety that quickly became one of the most listened-to conversations on this show, and landed us our first award.

But honestly, that didn’t surprise me. More and more people are feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world—whether it’s the climate crisis, the 24-hour news cycle, political instability, or just the constant sense that everything is happening all at once.

So in episode 220 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, I wanted to revisit that topic, but from a slightly broader perspective with the help of my guest, Laura Hartley.

Laura is a leadership coach & climate activist helping changemakers deepen their impact while living their most thriving life. Fascinated by the relationship between inner and outer change, Laura bridges systems thinking with self-work to empower changemakers with the skills of dismantling capitalism and patriarchy from the inside out.

Together, we explore how eco-anxiety fits into the wider landscape of burnout, information overload, and the pressure many people feel to personally “fix” the world’s problems. We talk about how our economic and cultural systems—things like individualism, capitalism, and the myth of the lone hero—shape the way we experience stress and responsibility in the climate movement.

But we also explore the other side of that conversation: community, hope, and how reconnecting with each other—and the natural world—can change the way we navigate these feelings.

An important note before we hear the interview: This episode discusses topics like anxiety, burnout, and emotional responses to climate change. However, neither my guest nor I is a trained therapist or mental health professional. This conversation is meant to explore ideas and share perspectives, not provide medical advice. If you’re experiencing severe anxiety, distress, or other mental health symptoms, please consider seeking support from a qualified mental health professional.

Climate Anxiety Help Line: https://www.crisistextline.org/topics/climate-anxiety-resources/

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Laura Hartley

Website: https://laurahartley.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurahartleypubliclove/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-hartley-/