Mental health In a VUCA world

 

VUCA world

Hello, I am glad you are here. Life has been challenging hasn’t it? The past few months? Well here is why. Its had an impact on your mental health? Here is how you can help yourself.

Let’s first define what VUCA is, an acronym that stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. These words at face value seem very similar but they are not. Volatility is a characteristic of the very changing world and its implication for us stems from the fact that our skills in and of itself can fade away if not updated. Uncertainty is the human predicament of being eternally uncertain of permanency in their social/professional hierarchy, complexity relates to the ever tangled interrelationships between humans, institutions, and ideologies that play a role in ones understanding of ideal action. Ambiguity refers to too many unknown factors floating between one’s vision and product.

The world is changing really fast and its absolutely terrifying. It is like we started playing musical chairs and the number of chairs keep decreasing. Worse, the chairs that look like chairs are only mirages and there can only be a handful of chairs. The number of people competing for the chair is uncountable. Every time you make yourself comfortable in a chair the next round starts and you have to give up your chair. It is terrifying to think if you will or won’t secure that chair. Chance, luck, footwork have become so important all of a sudden, right?

Existential intelligence was popularised by Howard Gardner in his book five minds of the future. He believed that is this required to survive in the fast-evolving landscape of the 21^st century. Gardner defines existential as a healthy concern with existential truths. He broadens the definition of intelligence to the ability to hold, shape and build on our belief systems as the demands of time need us to. Existence here is not an abstract term but is defined as a continuous state of being and it is important that we are aware of how we are existing. Our exchanges with the ever-changing world defines how we feel about our life and that feeling in turn defines how we react to life the next day.

The world we live in is becoming increasingly complex, with rapid advancements and new insights we have to keep updating ourselves so as to maintain a sense of continuity in our life and in our understanding of our own competence and control over our life. Constantly upskilling is the need of the hour. This has a very intense impact on our psyche. The self as Carl Rogers would say “strives for unity and oneness”. This need to have a fixed definition of ourselves becomes increasingly difficult in the VUCA world which prides itself on its pace and progress.

So how do we take care of our mental health in the VUCA world?

Before we answer this question, we will have to realise the impact the VUCA world has already had on our psyche. It has made us paranoid about whether we will ever have a place in the world. It has made us very anxious. Anxiety paralyses action and without action anxiety keeps building up. Hence, we all enter a very toxic cycle. The first question we need to battle is paranoia. It starts with how to calm one’s mind. The world has become extremely fast but it still values quality over quantity. We need to master any one area of our life and be ready to keep updating our knowledge about it every now and then. Going systematically and effectively around big changes is the only way to conquer changes.

Mental health is more important than ever. Taking care of oneself daily is very important. Mental health regimens and hygiene is very important. For, mental health burdens can impede motivation needed to thrive in such a situation.

Keeping up promises one makes oneself must be lived up to so one can trust their own agency and qualities. The only thing we have in uncertain situations is the surety of our own capabilities. Hence, we must keep reassuring ourselves of our own capabilities, dedication and commitments. This way we can be sure that we are well equipped to deal with uncertain situations.

Building our self-concept or a mental image of ourselves around our abilities instead of our dream positions in the world or our dream roles in the world, will create a negative impact on our mental health. Focusing on our traits, abilities and skills and making that the centre of our personhood will help increase our confidence. The latter is in our own hands while stature, position, opportunity are not. Efficiency, ability, consistency, grit and skill is sure to give us results at some point. Hence, these must be made the anchor of personhood.

Awareness over certainty- clinging on to a certain picture of future is hard in a VUCA world. This picture is never stable. Having an accurate understanding of change dynamics in ones environment is important for one to adapt and realise what works for them.

Most importantly remember you are not alone. History is a witness to the way great emperors dealt with the mortal threat of war as well as the very many battles that have been won even in the face of the most improbable conditions. There was constant uncertainty during times of war which cast a shadow in the times of peace. Imagine the strategic brilliance of sultan Mehmet II in his battle to conquer Constantinople. He had lost a considerable number of men. Many of his war tactics had failed through a siege that lasted for months. Imagine the uncertainty of emperor Constantine through the years that led up to the formation of Istanbul. Three generations of emperors could not win wars with this great city. Imagine living through these times. The only saving grace would be trusting your agency, trusting your skills and your vision, keeping your word to yourself in uncertain times.

Hence, here is to the human race. Here is to the human spirit. Here is to stumbling and wondering what it takes to rise up once again.