Jacinda Ardern has quit as Prime Minister - here is why it made me feel sad, but also impressed

Jacinda Ardern is ‘quitting as New Zealand Prime Minister’ according to the BBC. I read this as I was preparing to speak to Esther Higham on Premier Christian Radio to share my news feed, and I felt both sad and impressed. Sad, that Ms. Ardern is experiencing something which is unpleasantly familiar to many of us, and impressed that she is sharing openly her experience, and acting positively on it. 

The 42-year-old world leader first became a fairly familiar name to us Brits during lockdown in 2020. She took a tough stance early on as the pandemic developed as she “closed boarders” and introduced tough lockdowns. While there is much to debate around the wisdom of lockdowns and their impacts, New Zealand has been cited as having dealt with the pandemic with greater success than many other places. But clearly this has come at a cost. Many of us still feel the effects of living with constantly raised levels of stress as we responded to the pandemic; the change, homeschooling, being separated from loved ones and support… and yet more change. 

These events have a cumulative effect on an individual.

Before Christmas there was a particularly icy period, and, on the day of the Christingle Service in one of my parishes, the police were advising essential travel only. I took the call to cancel, and as I did, I felt a sick feeling that had become familiar during lockdowns as I had tried to work out what was right for my churches in response to government and church guidance. The effect a few hours later was that I felt exhausted. It was the stress hormones reacting to a stress situation. If one Christingle service did this to me, then how much more for a woman like Jacinda Ardern who has led her country through, not only the pandemic, but also other extreme events (like the White Island Volcanic Eruption). These events have a cumulative effect on an individual.

I think many of us can imagine that responding well to stress looks like failure, or moving backwards, so we push on.

I am impressed that Jacinda has chosen to listen to her body and mind, check her priorities, and recognise what needs to happen for her and her family, (She gave birth to her daughter whilst serving as PM), and taken a tough choice to step back. 

I think many of us can imagine that responding well to stress looks like failure, or moving backwards, so we push on. Even though I frequently remind myself that Jesus took himself off to pray and be alone (usually to be chased down by disciples; I remind myself of that, too, when my kids seem to be especially demanding!) because it is a basic human need. I struggle to feel worthy of that self-care. Some seasons and roles in life make it harder to put in the space and pace we need to function and flourish well. So perhaps we can be inspired by Jacinda who, despite being hugely successful, respected, and, some would argue, the top of her game, is stepping back. Sometimes it is the most human, God inspired thing we could do.