Unwrap the fear and find your gift

Remove the wrapping paper of fear and allow your gift to emerge. It is that time of the year when many gifts are exchanged, take a pause to look within and see if you can find something that is wrapped in fear within you. It typically looks a bit like this “If I don’t do xxxx, I will get into trouble” or “If I mess this up, I will…”. This is the wrapping paper of fear.

I am reading a book called Radical Acceptance by Tara Brachand a paragraph from it seems to be my lesson for the week gone by and maybe for the year ahead as well. Here it is – “I can throw myself into what I am doing with enormous passion. When anxiety or frustration arises, I am able to meet it with acceptance. But sometimes that voice of the insecurity and unworthiness arises, and I listen to it. Suddenly writing or preparing a presentation is linked to winning or losing love and respect and my entire experience of working shifts. The wanting self takes over. While I always intended to give a whole hearted effort, now that effort is wrapped in fear.”

“I’m anxiously striving to be ‘good enough’ and to reap the rewards. My love for what I do is clouded over when working becomes a strategy to prove my worth.”

Fear is a powerful motivator but it needs to be constantly fed. Its hunger is never satiated and it keeps demanding more and more. The carrot and the stick both feed fear. The carrot says “do more of this any you will be worthy”. The stick says “if you don’t do this you will not be worthy, and there will be consequences.” Finding work that I love doing (and doing it for joy of being my best self when I am doing it) is the only renewable source of energy. When I am operating from this place of “fearlessness” I am self motivated and enthused with the opportunities to be of service and make a difference.

This is the kind of work that makes me “happy tired”. It leave me feeling the same way I feel after a few sets of tennis or a long walk, tired but energised. The days when I am running a training workshop or teaching or working with teams to unlock an idea are my energy givers. So are those when I am in a client meeting, and with my help they frame a problem in a new way or get clarity on priorities that they need to focus on. The thrill of cracking a new business opportunity, is another big energy booster. Similarly when I am working on a presentation and the ideas are flowing and the collaboration with colleagues feels like we are opening up new creative pathways together that can solve a clients problem. Coaching and mentoring people is something that I can do anytime, anywhere and it always brings a smile to my face. These are a few of my favourite things and I can keep doing them again and again.

Practising PR from this place of positivity and service is wonderful. Doing my best work to genuinely be of service to my organisation and the clients we serve is filled with a special kind of energy. It’s playing my game and playing to win. The minute fear enters the equation, it’s like playing not to lose. This subtle shift changes everything. The solution lies in staying aware of this and being able to unwrap the fear. Focus on your gifts and bring them to bear in the workplace with the intent of helping others. This is the path to authentic living, growth and success. May we all find ways to unwrap ourselves from fears as we enter the new year and serve from a place of fearless strength.

Article originally published on December 24, 2024 in Reputation Today as part of my weekly column LeftBrainRightBrain