Curtis Chang was an anxious child. Not that he would have known to describe himself that way. Chang grew up in the 70s, before the rise of mental health awareness. He was also immersed in Chinese American immigrant culture, which, Chang says, “just didn’t have a label for [his experience].”

Now, Chang sees that he had highly functional anxiety, which means he developed endless mechanisms to cope with his stress. He always thought ahead. He always anticipated. He always made contingency plans.

Chang appeared to be successful. But on the inside, he was churning with fear.

Chang recently talked his new book, The Anxiety Opportunity: How Worry Is the Doorway to Your Best Self on an episode of The Russell Moore Show. He and Moore discussed their own experiences and how they think about the rise in mental health struggles among today’s young people. And Chang shared practices for engaging anxiety as a doorway to spiritual growth, rather than a spiral of shame.

As we raise children in a stressful age, may we take the time to better understand the fears that linger at the root of anxiety, and help the next generation find peace and relief.