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Finding Grace in a “Grind” Culture

By John Galvan

The “grind” culture of today did not exist when I was a kid.

Today’s incredibly high expectations for kids to succeed in school, society and home have become something like a tsunami. Too often, kids are quietly drowning under the pressure. Instilling a “hard work” ethic is of great value, but not at the expense of one’s well-being. While “grind” culture can drive individuals to work hard and achieve goals, it can also lead to unhealthy stress and burn-out. Our friends at Friendzy point out that 75 percent of the words students use to describe how they feel at school are negative. Common words are tired, stressed and bored.

All of this is exacerbated by the pressure to be fully engaged with friends worldwide through social media and devices practically grafted to our bodies. Is mental and emotional exhaustion a reasonable sign of success? Maybe we need to pump the brakes and back it up a little bit.

Growing up, the local Catholic church was a place my friends and I would hang out. I really didn’t know a world outside of my Catholic bubble. My brother and I played in a rock band, and we had a standing gig at our weekly youth group meetings. My young voice would crack trying to sing Deep Purple’s “Highway Star,” but it didn’t matter because there was mutual acceptance in this safe space. Many of the kids who had no place of belonging in their school or neighborhood found a place here. We prayed together, laughed together, had numerous beach outings. We were happy. This was our community. This was home.

Perhaps one of the greatest variables in ensuring we don’t lose our minds in the hustle is finding an authentic sense of purpose in our lives--a meaningful context for our work and entire existence. Faith provides not just an answer, but the answer. The work of catechesis helps to define faith, and it also points to our purpose. The National Directory for Catechesis is clear in this purpose, “The definitive aim of catechesis is to put people not only in touch but in communion, in intimacy, with Jesus Christ.” Such an encounter is life-changing.

In the article “Religious education can contribute to adolescent mental health in school settings“ published by The International Journal of Mental Health Systems, the authors conclude that religious education can be instrumental to improving adolescent mental health in the following ways:

  1. helping to develop healthier reaction to stimuli through the internalization of religious morality;
  2. reinforcing religious coping mechanisms which reduce the impact of stresses, enhance coping skills, and promote a less risky lifestyle;
  3. increasing awareness regarding religious beliefs and practices and their influence on the individual, the family, and the community;
  4. promoting connectedness which can enhance self-esteem and well-being.

This last point got my attention. Research shows that, beyond a desire for diversity, young people want to be in environments that are welcoming, supportive and respectful of all people. This was my experience growing up. I was one of the fortunate ones.

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If this is of concern to you, what can be done? It begins with “unsubscribing” to the grind culture and returning to what is essential. As a Catholic school superintendent recently said to me, “We may be the only Jesus a kid may ever meet.” Accompaniment is critical. Here are some simple considerations in building a healthy community of faith and learning:

  1. Lean in. I once had a Catholic school colleague say to me, “No good thing can come from leaving your classroom.” My response? During recess and lunch, I would walk the campus talking to students and trying to keep current on the undercurrents of the school’s student climate and culture. This is a forum where trust is built.
  2. Invite. Inviting people to share their authentic selves in creative ways makes them feel valued and builds both morale and rapport among members. It doesn’t hurt to have fun while you’re at it.
  3. Include. Ask yourself: How might the people (including students) and culture of our school shift to invite more people to the table in all aspects of operations? Instead of always resorting to a top-down approach, consider tackling system-wide strategies from the bottom-up.

To get a handle on how the kids and adults are doing—I mean really doing—in your school and parish communities, NCEA Rise can help. It begins with the Information for Growth for Adults (IFG) and Assessment of Catholic Religious Education for Youth (ACRE). In alignment with the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Five Tasks of Catechesis, NCEA’s religion assessments measure both the head (cognitive) and the heart (affective) in all matters of faith. The Belonging Index provides data to address the degree your school members feel noticed, named and known. Find out more at www.ncearise.org.

No “grind” culture can beat the transformative culture of our Catholic faith communities. Jesus is and will always be our center of gravity. It is the work of the Paschal Mystery within us. This is the endless well that provides the grace, fortitude, joy, and yes, perspective we need to sanely get through our days. Our kids need our accompaniment on this journey.

I still may not be able to sing Deep Purple’s “Highway Star’’ very well, but it doesn’t stop me. Like St. Paul wrote, “I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (II Cor 12:10). No “grind” culture will keep this disciple down.


John Galvan is NCEA Vice President of Assessments.


John Galvan
Jgalvan@ncea.org