The Global Grit Experience

Today, we’re talking with Pastor Beth Monke. I wanted to talk with Beth to hear about climate action from a religious or spiritual perspective. Beth is a Pastor at the Grove Lake Lutheran Church in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota AND she’s a climate activist! Whoop! Whoop! Beth is the Citizen's Climate Lobby (CCL) co-leader for the Fergus Falls, MN chapter. Beth has a lot of depth and wisdom you'll love to hear.

Citizen's Climate Lobby is a nonpartisan organization that empowers every day people (like you and me) to work together on climate policy. There are 420+ chapters across the US and 150+ international chapters on 6 continents. Pretty cool if you’re looking for ways to get involved in your own community. Beth is also a former outpatient mental health therapist.

Dacia Dauner built an outdoor nature school in Bemidji, MN. Picture a combo of a twenty something below winter and kids in cozy yurts for classrooms…. and you have Apple Blossom Nature School. She (and the kids and other teachers) have GRiT!

Dacia Dauner is the founder of Apple Blossom Village, a micro-school that provides nature-based programs for kids, families and the community year round.

One of the biggest things we can do for the outdoor places we love and a world we want to see where nature is priority and not a commodity is to get engaged politically, learn about and support environmental candidates and VOTE for the environment. Speaking up, standing up and voting for nature takes GRiT… but like I say, nature deserves our grit, right? Let’s learn a few tips on what we can do and how we can get involved when we really don't want to, but we know we have to. It doesn't have to be painful.

Celeste Koppe is the Communications Officer on the Board of Directors for the Detroit Lakes Minnesota League of Women Voters. League of Women voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented in our democracy.

The Global Grit Experience is about having GRIT... passion and perseverance and an unwavering dedication to protecting nature despite challenges. And there are a lot of challenges out there right now, holy hell. Especially for the environment.

But, having grit can sound exhausting, right? Especially when we’re worn out, overwhelmed and want to hide under the covers.

So, I thought it would be good to kick this baby off with what I think is top tier important…your mental health. Because, without it, we burn out and drop out and that’s not good for you, for us, or for our precious outdoors. Because we each have something to contribute! Right? We’re amazing!

My first guest is Dr. Jonathan Aligada here in my hometown. He shares mental health coping strategies to take care of ourselves so we can be our best selves.

Dr. Aligada is an adult clinical psychologist at Sanford Health in Detroit Lakes, MN. I’ve interviewed Dr. Aligada before for a mental health video series and am SO grateful he’s able to join us for this podcast.

Thanks for tuning in!