As we enter 2013, I wish you a year of embracing your fears. Specifically, befriending the five key fears that may be running your life without you even knowing it.
As you look at the list below, I invite you to consider where have these sneaky culprits kept you awake at night, or stopped you from going where you wanted (or needed) to go, or prevented you from celebrating the fullness of your being. I certainly can personally attest to having been under the influence of each and every one of these fears!
Ready? Here they are:
- Fear of losing control (yes, all those times when you unnecessarily held onto ideas, things and tasks)
- Fear of failure (you played it safe, you wanted to save face, you remained frozen)
- Fear of the unknown (all the ways in which you dwarfed your self and your life, crushing the Explorer within)
- Fear of the truth (when you buried your head in the sand, not wanting to learn about reality – and about your true self)
- Fear of success (remember when you absolutely had what it took, but were too afraid to go for it?)
As I was writing this blog, I was propelled to scan my own writing over the years, using the ‘fear’ lens to see where it appeared in the topics that I was addressing. Well (surprise!), it was pretty much everywhere…
And so, as a New Year’s gift of sorts, please find below a few pieces that I thought would be of particular interest to you, examining fear (and practical ways to move beyond it) from various angles.
- Leaders’ Harassment Mistake No. 3: Being Afraid to Take a Stand
- Surprising Answers to the Question: What Would you do if You Were Bullied?
- Abrasive Leaders: Three Deadly Organizational Sins
- Three Must-Ask Questions Any Leader should Ask when implementing a Change Initiative
- Four Solutions for Dealing with Upward-Directed Bullying
My wonderful readers, until we meet again in the year 2013, my heartfelt wish for each and every one of you is that you create a year (and a life) free from the oppression of fear, a year/life where you use angst as a springboard to grow and discover, regain your life balance, be humble and courageous, loving and empathetic.
Happy Holidays and a wonderful New Year!
Need help with challenges in your organization? Don’t hesitate to contact us.