From Fear to Power by Changing the Way You Think and Speak

Fear. We all have it. Think about something you’re afraid of right now and I bet it boils down to one thing…that you won’t be able to handle some situation that life throws your way. “I’m afraid my boss is going to make me start working back in the office” (…and I won’t be able to handle it because I’m used to the flexibility of working from home.) “I’m afraid that my friend is annoyed with me” (…and I won’t be able to handle it because she is the person I’m closest with and I’ll never find another friend like her.) “I’m afraid speak up and share my true feelings” (…because I won’t be able to handle the possible confrontation or rejection.)

When you don’t trust yourself to handle difficult situations, life can feel overwhelming and scary. But the truth is, you can handle the majority of things, and you have, many times in the past. Changing the way you think and speak will allow you to face hard things and transition from a place of fear (which is painful) to a place of power (which is empowering).

So, instead of “I can’t go back in the office”, say “I won’t go back to the office because I value working remotely and it’s important for me to find a job that will allow me to do so.” That’s power!

Instead of “what will I do if my friend doesn’t want to hang out with me anymore?”, say “I can handle it, I’ll make more of an effort to see my other friends or to meet new people.” That’s power!

Instead of “I’ll cause problems if I speak up and share my feelings”, say “this is my opportunity to be real and honest and it’ll let me know where things really stand.” That’s power!

If you’re looking for more information on this topic, check out “Feel the fear…and do it anyway” by Susan Jeffers, Ph.D. Great book and I love her pain-to-power vocabulary.