I'm becoming more and more convinced that we need to think very carefully about our relationship with #anxiety
More and more voices describe our current situation as an 'epidemic' of anxiety problems and related disorders.
More and more voices describe our current situation as an 'epidemic' of anxiety problems and related disorders.
Yet we continue to use anxiety as a motivator for so many areas of life. Increasingly so it seems.
As we do, I'm convinced we are pushing at the edges of our limitations, at risk of stretching ourselves beyond what our humanity itself can actually handle
As we do, I'm convinced we are pushing at the edges of our limitations, at risk of stretching ourselves beyond what our humanity itself can actually handle
I remember joking about needing 'the fear' before I really knuckled down to exam revision. It was in part tongue in cheek, in part a reflection of the fact that a little anxiety can sometimes motivate *in the short-term*
We're built with a fight or flight response for a reason
We're built with a fight or flight response for a reason
But watching my two eldest daughters navigate the early years of secondary school I've noticed something
Anxiety seems to have become a primary means of motivating learning. Not for short term assessments, but for the long-haul
Anxiety seems to have become a primary means of motivating learning. Not for short term assessments, but for the long-haul
This is totally destructive and deleterious to *actual* learning, growing and... well... life.
A 13 year old doing a language vocabulary test should not need to be told that doing well in this test --> doing well in GCSEs --> doing well in A-Levels --> getting a secure career.
A 13 year old doing a language vocabulary test should not need to be told that doing well in this test --> doing well in GCSEs --> doing well in A-Levels --> getting a secure career.
Anxiety can be a proportionate and right response to certain situations. It can be protective, it can get us up off our backsides to respond when we need to.
Basically, it's part of us for a reason.
Basically, it's part of us for a reason.
It's true that Paul calls us 'not to be anxious' (Phil 4) -- but that is a challenging invitation, not a command that anxiety is never to be present. Paul himself expresses his concern for Epaphroditus in Phil 2
His concern was appropriate, godly, and drove a prayerful response
His concern was appropriate, godly, and drove a prayerful response
But this anxiety-power is small and short-lived.
Persistently stimulating anxiety inappropriately leads to disproportional anxiety responses to other circumstances and at the wrong times.
It's basically playing with psychological (and spiritual) fire.
Persistently stimulating anxiety inappropriately leads to disproportional anxiety responses to other circumstances and at the wrong times.
It's basically playing with psychological (and spiritual) fire.
But it has become a primary motivation-currency in education and beyond in so many different spheres of life in our society.
Make people fear and you can get them to do anything.
Until, that is, they can no longer do anything
Make people fear and you can get them to do anything.
Until, that is, they can no longer do anything
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