Carrying yourself as a True Leader...in the age of anxiety

I rarely remember my dreams – I just wake up some mornings exhausted from a rich-dreaming night. Yesterday was different.  Maybe it’s my Greek heritage that urges me to look for meaning in the dreams I do recall – and on this occasion I had a strong sense of what this dream was about the minute I woke up.

I was bike riding up a very steep hill – struggling but determined to get to the top.  I was holding onto the handlebars very tightly like it was going to get me to the top faster when my right handlebar broke off in my hand! Yikes…

Upon awaking I found myself reflecting on how tightly I’m holding onto things at the moment – my thoughts on the future, ideas, dreams and hopes.  This is on top of the everyday stresses that many of us are feeling from the constant uncertainty, chaos and disruption that surrounds us on a daily basis.  Coming from many places – perhaps on the homefront, at work, your job situation, things on the National agenda including the economy, petrol prices! and of course the constant agitation from global affairs. 

Stress is an important part of our ability to grow and adapt and deflecting anxiety and even fear can be counterproductive.  What we have to watch out for is the paralyses it can cause.  What we instinctly do as protection when we are stressed is control and hold on to whatever we can – often too tightly.  So back to my dream - I know exactly what it was urging me to do – let go, release the tight grip, surrender and trust!  I’d lost sight of the big picture.  I’ve forgotten to trust myself and be in the present moment which is all I really have agency over.

In coaching sessions I’ve often use the analogy of picking up a handful of sand.  We tend to grip and hold on tight in the hope of retaining as many grains as possible.  In reality what happens is that the tighter we hold on, the more sand we lose.  But try scooping sand with both hands and not clasping, just lightly holding.  This way through graceful cupping of the hands, we minimize loss.  These grains of sand can represent all those wants, needs, desires, dreams and hopes, and the way we hold them may be the measure of our mindset – fixed and limiting or open to possibility; to being less fearful, more curious, accepting and trusting.

Highly esteem modern mystic and Franciscan Friar Fr Richard Rohi goes on to say   “Our time has been called the age of anxiety…We no longer know what or where our foundations are.  When we’re not sure what is certain, when the world and our worldview keep being redefined every few months, we’re going to be anxious. Understandably, we want to get rid of that anxiety as quickly as we can. I know I do. Yet, to be a good leader…we have to be able to contain and patiently hold a certain degree of anxiety and fear.  Greater levels of leadership require leaders who are capable of holding greater anxiety. Leaders who cannot hold anxiety will never lead us any place good or new... If we cannot calmly hold a certain degree of fear and anxiety, we will always look for somewhere to expel it… It’s not life energy, it’s death energy.” (Daily Meditations)

In his book “The Wisdom Pattern” he also talks about the notion of order, disorder and reorder – requiring a letting go of the old, trusting as the new unfolds and embracing the new order with love not fear.

CITI CEO, who employs 60,000 people globally talks about leaders needing courage, big ears and thick skin. 

So how are you holding yourself as a leader – perhaps with calm and in grace; with trust and patience; in loving kindness (see last month’s blog on Leading with Love ); embracing your wisdom and honest self-reflection?

Perhaps this mantra my Yoga teacher read out today will bring you as much comfort as it did me:

I release all tension from my mind and body.

I let go of everything I cannot control.

My heart is safe, my spirit light and every breath grounds me deeper into peace.

In the current climate, keeping in mind that research suggests that only 26% of leaders consistently create psychological safety (McKinsey, 2021) and only 1 in 4 cross-functional teams are performing effectively (HBR) - I’ve decided to re-offer a revised version of the 60minute Wellbeing & Engagement Workshop I ran a few years back  – during COVID!…different disruption, same sort of anxiety, fear and discombobulation.

If you’d like to chat a little more how I can support you and your Team by running this workshop (or in any other way), please drop me a line (trish@wisdominone.com.au) or call any time on 0411 626 549….obligation free.

As ever, the challenge - To truly understand that what we give out eventually comes back to us.

Until next time….Keep Shining,

With love and best wishes

Trish x

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Coaching can help you become a better leader and the best version of yourself – it creates space for you to reflect and consider your behaviours, your mindset, your environment, your values and your objectives.  It can help to ground you and live and work more competently and with more intention, kindness and compassion.  I help leverage your skills, wisdom, life experience and attributes and challenge your mindset - enabling you to become the very best version of you!

WORK WITH ME – Executive and Career Coach-Mentoring (or perhaps engage me to run a Wellbeing workshop or Yoga Class for you/your team/colleagues).

Contact me today - trish@wisdominone.com.au or call (61) 411 626 549

I am the Principal of Wisdom in One.  I have been working with and Coach-Mentoring Leaders for over 25 years.  At Wisdom in One, our commitment is to a practical and holistic approach to achieving life balance for the mind, body, heart and soul; ensuring we take care of ourselves, each other and the world in order to create a better future for our children.

I not only believe but know that LEADERSHIP IS A RESPONSIBILITY AND IT IS SACRED.

By looking at and developing awareness about how we live, lead and work, we can create a powerful sense of 'knowing' and consciousness about what impact we have on our own lives, our health, others around us and our environment. By tapping into this wisdom, we can grow, change and live a fuller, richer life and make positive and enlightened contributions. Leaders have real-time impact on a community’s stability, sustainability and collective wellbeing.  Therefore Leaders have a responsibility to their own wellbeing.

The challenge - To truly understand that what we give out eventually comes back to us.

visit my website: www.wisdominone.com.au

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https://www.wisdominone.com.au/blogs  (17)

May 2026