“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”
~Audre Lorde
Fear. I’ve heard it defined as False Evidence Appearing Real, which often helps me breathe and ease myself through my fear when it hits. That said, Audre Lorde’s quote also helps.
I suggest that my clients notice their fear and pay attention to their fear, but I also suggest that they breathe through their fear and move through their fear. Move despite their fear at times. And this is especially important when, like Audre Lorde, we have the opportunity to be in service of the vision we hold for the future and when we choose to be our most powerful self, we choose to practice Thoughtful Leadership.
This quote was essential for my client who chose to stand up to their micromanaging boss. This quote was crucial for my client who chose to jump at the opportunity to represent her team in front of her boss’s boss’s boss. This quote was indispensable for my client who saw that a project was going astray and chose to call it out to senior management.
This quote is also the support and mindset we need when we call out bias and/or inconsistencies, when we speak for our marginalized colleagues (and/or selves), when we take a stand for what we feel is right, even if others around us don’t.
It can be terrifying to move forward or to speak up when we’re afraid, but we can do it. We can start with this quote, and we can build our tool kit for whatever we may need to bolster and reassure us. We can remember the colleague or friend to call for support, the mantra we repeat to ourselves (like Lorde’s quote) or song we sing to ourselves, the physical movement that steadies the mind or revs us up. Whatever we need to move forward, despite our fear.
We can be afraid to take the next step or do the next thing, but we can also dig deep into ourselves and remember our vision and find and stand in our power. We can use our strength for what is important for ourselves, our team, our company, our society, our world.
We can continue to Thoughtfully make a difference.
How do you stand in your power and strength, even if you are afraid?
Please leave a comment.
If you enjoyed this post, you can read more like it in our book, The Power of Thoughtful Leadership: 101 Minutes To Being the Leader You Want To Be, available on Amazon.
If you want to dare to be more powerful, contact Lisa at lkohn@chatsworthconsulting.com.
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