How ACT can help sustainability professionals thrive

If you're a sustainability professional - climate scientist, ESG manager, sustainability consultant, or anything in between - you know how tough the work can be. I have been there myself for many years. You're not just dealing with spreadsheets and targets; it sometimes feels like you’re carrying the weight of a planet in crisis. It’s rewarding, sure, but let’s face it, it can be a lot.

Having started to study psychology, a whole new perspective emerged for me that I believe is incredibly useful for every change-maker out there. Especially one of its many forms: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

So, What’s ACT?

ACT is all about accepting your thoughts and feelings, getting clear on what truly matters to you, and then taking action in line with those values - even when things are hard. It’s a mix of mindfulness, values exploration, and practical strategies to help you live a life that feels meaningful and resilient. For sustainability professionals, this approach can be a game-changer.

How ACT Can Help You:

Making Peace with Tough Emotions
You probably know this well: the anxiety of climate change, frustration at slow policy progress, or the grief of environmental destruction. ACT can help you accept these emotions without getting bogged down by them. It’s not about ignoring the pain; it’s about making space for it so you can keep moving forward.

Exercise: "Leaves on a Stream"
When you're overwhelmed by stress or frustration, close your eyes for a moment. Imagine you’re sitting by a stream, and each of your difficult emotions is a leaf floating by. Notice the shape, size, and color of each leaf. Let the leaf drift past you down the stream. The goal is not to change the leaf or fight it—just let it come and go naturally. Practice this for a few minutes whenever tough emotions come up.

Defusing Unhelpful Thoughts
Thoughts like “It’s hopeless” or “I’m not doing enough” can easily take over, especially when the challenges seem so massive. ACT teaches you how to get some distance from these thoughts, so they don’t dictate your mood or your actions. You can acknowledge them, but then keep doing what matters.

Exercise: "I'm Having the Thought That..."
When a stressful thought pops into your mind—like "The problem is too big" or "My work isn’t making a difference"—try saying to yourself, "I'm having the thought that..." before stating the thought. So it might be, "I'm having the thought that my work isn’t making a difference." Notice how this small shift creates a bit of distance from the thought, reminding you that it’s just a thought, not a fact.

Reconnecting with Your Values
Sustainability work often comes from a deep place of values—care for the planet, social justice, and future generations. But stress and burnout can make it hard to stay connected to what brought you to this work in the first place. ACT helps you reconnect with your core values, so they can guide you even on the tough days.

Exercise: Values Card Sort (Simplified)

Make a list of 10 core values (e.g., honesty, family, creativity, health, learning, kindness, success, spirituality, adventure, freedom). Write each value on a separate piece of paper or card. Sort these cards into three piles:

• Very Important: Values that are most meaningful to you.

• Somewhat Important: Values that are meaningful, but not your top priorities.

• Not Important: Values that you appreciate but are less significant to you.

Choose the top 3 values from your "Very Important" pile and reflect on why they stand out for you.

Taking Committed Action
With the scale of environmental problems, it can be hard to see progress or feel like your work is making a difference. ACT encourages you to take small, values-based actions every day, knowing that it’s not always about immediate results but about staying true to what matters over the long term.

Exercise: Tiny Actions to Live Your Values

Choose one of your top 3 values from the previous exercise. Think of a small, simple action that aligns with this value and can be done in your everyday life (e.g., if your value is kindness, one action could be smiling at a stranger; if it's health, one action could be drinking an extra glass of water each day). Commit to doing this action every day for a week. At the end of the week, reflect on how doing this action felt and whether it helped you feel more connected to your value.

Building Resilience Through Mindfulness
The practice of mindfulness - being present in the moment without judgment - can be a powerful tool to help manage stress and stay grounded. For sustainability professionals, this can be essential in navigating the highs and lows of the work, staying focused on what you can control, and letting go of things you cannot.

Exercise: "5-4-3-2-1 Grounding"
When you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, pause for a mindful moment. Name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can physically feel (like the ground under your feet), 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. This grounding exercise helps you come back to the present moment, providing a break from racing thoughts or heavy emotions.

ACT isn’t about making the work easier or pretending things aren’t tough. It’s about helping you stay engaged and energized in your mission to make the world a better place. So, if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or questioning your impact, remember that you’re doing important work. And there are ways, like ACT, to help you not just survive in this field, but thrive.