Communicating in the Face of Fear
Fear can be extremely debilitating and limiting in accomplishing one’s goals. On one hand, fear serves a purpose in protecting us from difficult situations. This is commonly known as the fight or flight response. On the other hand, many times we are kept, largely on our part, from moving forward with the things that are important to us due to fear. I thought about this as it relates to communication. Both personally and professionally, individuals face challenges with communicating their ideas or wishes because of fear. Think about the experiences you have had with this. What keeps you from sharing truthfully with others?
Maybe it’s the fear of being different from the majority and unliked. Or retaliated against, even ostracized. It could be that you fear people will question or distrust your abilities. Perhaps you fear that someone will be upset with you or that you will hurt someone. There’s also the fear that you are powerless and that in the end nothing will change, so speaking at all is pointless. There may be many reasons for why it is difficult to communicate freely. When I think about my own life and work, especially regarding advocating for change, I have experienced some of the fears noted above, which have at times been realized. Yet, pushing past the fears has been advantageous for me in pursuing my goals, including fostering growth and change.
It’s important to keep in mind why you are communicating in the first place. What something means to you, or your intentions for doing something, is important for establishing why you are communicating. Whether for yourself and/or others, the need that you have in communicating helps lay the foundation for what is communicated and how.
Unfortunately, in many ways we find that the result of our communication is often determined by multiple factors. A large one is the willingness/receptiveness of others to act on what is shared, especially by individuals who are in positions of power or influence. Yet, this shouldn’t be a deterrent from communicating. It’s important to remember that your voice or message matters, and in being thoughtful and intentional, it’s possible to effect change.
What is something that you haven’t communicated with someone due to fear? Consider the worst that could happen if you did, and the best that could be possible but wouldn’t know unless you tried. Keep in mind the end result - what would support you and/or others and how you can most effectively share your message.
Feel free to share your thoughts on this writing in the comments or reach out if you’d like to connect, have questions, or are interested in partnering.
I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to share a comment or reach out if you’d like to connect, have questions, or are interested in partnering.
Healthy Messages™ helps professionals, leaders, and business owners in human services improve, craft, and implement communication within and across systems.
Learn more about Healthy Messages™ mission, vision, and outcomes.
