Articles like this one Depressed Pastor Leaders are written and rewritten multiple times a year. We love commisseration. Rarely are there answers, just observations and questions. It is ridiculous to expect happy go lucky to accompany a hard, thankless task. Sometimes leadership is just hard. But it is equally ridiculous to not address the stress. As a counselor and think doctor, I have a box of tools to ward off the evil spirits of depression. The black bile bites, but there is healing in the name of Jesus. Let’s skip the CBT toolbox for corrective action and look to resiliency basics for a pastor or business professional.

Here are a few.
1. Get a good friend outside your church/business and spend quality and quantity time enjoying them. Go fishing. Golf. Watch monster trucks. Enjoy college football.
2. Celebrate family in the church, business, and home.
3. Develop a mentoring relationship with someone who mentors you and someone you mentor. That is two people different than number one.
4. Be active in community. A ministerial alliance, kiwanis, rotary, lions, neighborhood association is a healthy place to connect. Be a community participant. Love where you live.
5. Take care of your personal exercise, nutrition, prayer, devotions, and growth. Be a lifelong healthy learner.
6. Take it to heart to give glory to God. Praise Him and give Him credit for everything.
7. Now, go do the work of the ministry or business to which you are assigned.