In the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, the prevalence of anxiety and depression increased worldwide by a massive 25%, according to a study by the World Health Organization.[1] This is obvious to those who lived through months of case numbers and death reports scrolling across the bottom of all channels 24/7. Going to the grocery store meant keeping your distance from anyone and everyone. If someone wasn’t masked, they were asked to leave. And if you coughed in public—even to clear your throat—you received stares of horror from passers-by. The world itself lived in fear daily for 36 months, and we are now learning the deeper result that all those warning and restrictions. “The information we have now about the impact of Covid-19 on the world’s mental health is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This is a wake-up call to all countries to pay more attention to mental health and do a better job of supporting their populations’ mental health.”
Anxiety is the feeling of being physically, mentally or emotionally overwhelmed by the stresses of life. A mental health crisis differs from the instant paint of a heart attack or long and drawn-out treatment for cancer, but it is just as acute and intense as a health issue. You may think to yourself, “I’m having a nervous breakdown.” A mental health crisis at its core is the mind believing that you have lost control—that some event or change in your life is beyond your capacity to deal with. Symptoms like fear, worry, nervousness, anger, and depression can manifest.[2] These anxieties can incapacitate you and make you unable to cope or function.
The coping skill for anxiety is to remain calm. If you can recognize anxiety and exercise calm, you can reduce the body’s cortisol hormone level. This positively impacts your nervous system and brain, helping you to process stress and think it through in a productive way. Cortisol is a primary factor in the body’s aging.[3]If you are under constant stress and think, “I’m getting too old for this!” that is literally true—anxiety does indeed weaken the body and cause aging characteristics to manifest over time. How, then, can a leader remain calm?
God’s source of calm. Scripture instructs us to “Be anxious for nothing” (Philippians 4:6). But how? The passage continues, “but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Personal peace is a function of our relationship with and trust in God, and remaining in communication with God. Your daily time in prayer, sharing with God your anxiety and stress and asking Him to help ease life’s burdens, is a faith-centered leader’s most practical source of calm. And this comes with a promise—“the peach of God… will guard your heart and mind.”
Though the pandemic is beginning to fade into memory, it has left growing mental health concerns that are largely going unaddressed. According to the American Association of Medical Colleges, we are now between 15,000 and 30,000 doctors short in mental healthcare fields, even as the need grows exponentially.[4] Our anxiety is likewise stoked constantly by news stories that spread fear and call on us to be offended, outraged and reactive as they predict loss, disaster and chaos. Developing one’s capacity to remain calm in a given situation also helps others to stay calm. A recent study by TalentSmart found that 90% of top professionals possessed the skill of managing emotions in times of stress in order to remain calm and in control.[5]
Calm people reinforce calm. In the 1980s, art instructor Bob Ross hosted The Joy of Painting on PBS. He was known for his giant perm hairstyle, simple landscape techniques, and mellow demeanor. Bob would talk as he painted, and imparted simple wisdom like:
“We want happy paintings. Happy paintings. If you want sad things, watch the news.”
“Go out on limb. That’s where the fruit is.”
“Don’t forget to tell these special people in your life just how special they are to you.”
“There are no mistakes, just happy accidents.”
“We don’t laugh because we feel good, we feel good because we laugh.”
Watching and listening to Bob Ross as he painted was so calming, many viewers fell asleep to his program. To this day he is remembered as a calm and content person. Bob was an example of the benefit to a leader of having the reputation as a calming influence on those around him. Of painting and life, Bob often said, “No pressure. Just relax and watch it happen.”
Scripture tells us, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7). A person of faith who receives the calming influence of God can himself be a calming influence on others. This is the “spirit of self-control” that 2 Timothy speaks of. Look to people of faith to be calm in difficult circumstances, because their confidence comes from God, even though they don’t have personal knowledge of outcomes or the future.
Calm people think on these things. Anxiety and stress come when our minds fixate on outcomes we don’t know and can’t control. It’s our nature often to assume the worst will happen. Scripture also has an answer for this mind-game that can keep us calm. Philippians 4:8 instructs, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” When you find your mind wandering toward negatives, fears, loss, lack of control, instead turn your mind to those things mentioned in Philippians 4:8. This takes conscious effort, but it will train your thoughts toward the character of God and remind you that you can ultimately trust Him for your best.
[1] https://www.who.int/news/item/02-03-2022-covid-19-pandemic-triggers-25-increase-in-prevalence-of-anxiety-and-depression-worldwide
[2] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22780-nervous-breakdown
[3] https://vivna.net/9-reasons-why-its-healthy-to-stay-calm-in-stressful-situations
[4] https://www.aamc.org/news/growing-psychiatrist-shortage-enormous-demand-mental-health-services
[5] https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2014/02/06/how-successful-people-stay-calm
To be kind is to be friendly, generous and considerate. Other positive characteristics branch off from kindness: empathy, sincerity, thoughtfulness, acceptance, helpfulness. Kindness may be among your most powerful leadership tools.