Grief and Grit

Ocean Hoptimism
Sep 5
2 min read

Updated: Sep 27

Why Feeling Wrecked Doesn't Mean You're Out of the Fight

You love the ocean. Maybe you’ve given your time, your weekends, your heart. Maybe you’ve staked your career on it. And now? The ground feels like it’s crumbling beneath you. Jobs and budgets are slashed. Protections rolled back. Colleagues and friends are pushed out. Burnout rising like a tide you can’t escape.

If that sounds familiar, this is for you. A love letter to everyone who’s felt grief creeping in and wondered if they still have the grit to push back.

The Sinking Feeling Is Real

That sinking feeling? You’re not imagining it. Funding has dried up. Scientists and experts are being sidelined. Hard-won climate and ocean protections feel as fragile as sandcastles against the tide. It’s normal to feel anxious. To feel hopeless. To feel quietly heartbroken when the work you’ve poured yourself into feels invisible or undermined.

And here’s the truth: you are not alone.

Permission to Feel Wrecked

We’re not here to tell you to “stay positive.” That’s not the point. We’re here to say something harder, and more honest: you can feel wrecked and still resist. Grief is not a disqualifier. It’s proof you give a damn.

The ache in your chest? That’s evidence of care. The tears that surprise you in a meeting? That’s not weakness, that’s devotion. In a world that wants you to numb out, feeling it deeply is a radical act.

What You Can Do

You don’t have to fix everything. The ocean doesn’t need a single hero; it needs all of us in the fight. Here are ways to keep showing up:

Speak up when silence is expected. Even a small word of truth creates ripples.
Protect what’s still whole. Defending what remains intact matters just as much as repair.
Make room for others. Share space, share credit, share access.
Keep showing up, even when it hurts.

Consistency builds movements.

Practices for Direction and Renewal

When you feel untethered, these practices can help anchor you:

Join or host a local action night. (Or keep showing up at Ocean Hoptimism.) Small gatherings build big stamina.
Volunteer skills, not just hours. Your expertise (writing, data, art, organizing) can fuel others’ work.
Fund someone else’s spark. Even a modest donation can keep a project alive.
Rest with intention, not guilt. True rest is part of the work.
Build circles of care, not just resistance.

Community sustains what anger alone cannot.

Redefining Grit

We think grit looks like chest-thumping courage. But often, it’s quieter. Grit is crying on a Zoom call and still dialing in the next week. It’s emailing your representative again, even after months of silence. It’s starting something new even when everything around you feels like it’s falling apart.

That’s still grit. That’s still resistance.

You're Not Alone

You are allowed to feel wrecked. You are allowed to rest. But know this: you are not alone. There is still beauty in the sea and fire in this movement. We’re still here. Still fighting. Still hoping.

So join us. Recharge with community. Let yourself be reminded that grief and grit can live side by side. And that hope is not just a feeling. It’s a practice.