You appear unflappable, radiating cool confidence. But beneath your calm exterior is a simmering undercurrent of anxiety. You’re wearing dark clothes to hide your sweating perspiration. You attempt to take deep breaths to calm your nerves, but your heart is racing. You’re great at putting on the mask that appears you have everything effortlessly under control because you’ve done it your whole life. But inside, the rising anxiety has you in its grip again.
If you can relate to this experience, you’re not alone. Anxiety among leaders is common, particularly among high-achieving women.
Anxiety itself is not a weakness. It’s a natural response to uncertainty, challenge, and the weight of responsibility. It means you care about your work. You have high expectations of yourself. Your role requires you to grapple with difficult decisions, manage complex problems and navigate unpredictable situations – all fertile ground for anxious feelings. Ignoring or suppressing these emotions can have detrimental effects, both on your well-being and your leadership effectiveness.
The key lies in understanding the relationship between anxiety and leadership, and developing strategies to manage it constructively.
The Double-Edged Sword of Anxiety
Anxiety can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it can fuel hypervigilance and conscientiousness, pushing you to meticulously prepare and anticipate potential problems, which translates into high standards. However, unchecked anxiety can also morph into paralyzing fear, indecisiveness, and eventually lead to chronic health problems.
Understand the Root Cause of Your Anxiety
The key to breaking free from the revolving door of anxiety lies in understanding the underlying causes. What is it that’s fuelling your anxious thoughts? Are your habitual thought patterns rooted in limiting beliefs, past experiences, or negative self-talk? Addressing these deeper issues – often residing in the subconscious – is where true transformation occurs. This is the help that I offer. I work with high achieving women to uncover the underlying (often subconscious) thought patterns, beliefs and habitual responses that keep you stuck in The Anxiety Cycle. I help you to move through resistance and evolve out of the cycle to experience lasting inner peace and emotional harmony. It doesn’t happen overnight, but if you’re committed to doing the work, you can heal yourself from anxiety.
7 Ways Your Anxiety can be Harnessed as a Force for Good
- Your anxiety is inviting you into a deeper level of self-awareness and healing
Get the support you need to work through the layers of subconscious thought patterns that are at the root cause of your anxious thoughts and responses. My Leadership Mindset Transformation program is developed specifically for high achieving women who find themselves dealing with anxiety in the workplace. It is designed to help you evolve out of the anxiety cycle to achieve lasting inner peace and increase your effectiveness as a leader in the process. - Reframe anxious thoughts
Anxiety often thrives on distorted thinking patterns. Challenge your negative self-talk with more realistic and empowering perspectives. Instead of thinking “I’m going to fail,” reframe it as “This is a challenging opportunity for growth.” - Develop healthy coping mechanisms
Make time for exercise, relaxation techniques like deep breathing, and time in nature to reduce your anxiety levels. Build strong support networks through mentors, colleagues, or therapists who can provide invaluable emotional outlets. - Focus on preparation, not control
While meticulous planning is valuable, you can’t control every outcome. Accept that uncertainty is inevitable and focus your energy on thorough preparation and adaptable decision-making. - Lead with vulnerability
Share your own struggles with anxiety to create a more authentic and empathetic leadership style. This fosters trust and encourages open communication within your work environment, allowing others to voice their concerns without fear of judgment. - Invest in team well-being
Recognizing that your anxiety can impact your team, actively build a culture of psychological safety and well-being. Encourage open communication, normalize discussions about mental health, and offer resources and support for employees experiencing anxiety.
Remember, You’re Not Alone:
Leading with anxiety is a journey, not a destination. There will be setbacks, but with self-awareness, proactive management, and the right support system, you can transform your anxiety into a source of strength and resilience. By leading authentically, embracing vulnerability, and fostering well-being within your team, you can not only manage your own anxiety effectively but also create a more supportive and thriving leadership environment for everyone.
If you’d like to explore how my work can help you evolve out of the anxiety cycle, please reach out for a discovery call so we can see if we’re a good fit to work together. It would be my honor and privilege to help you experience lasting peace and emotional harmony.