Lean In

Leaning into our fear in a proactive way can be incredibly effective and empowering, yet also quite scary and uncomfortable.

When I think of this with my own fears, I see a mental image of myself in a wind tunnel physically leaning forward with all of my might so I won’t get blown over.

So often we run away, hide, or avoid our fears because they can be hard to feel and face. However, very little that means much to us in life shows up without any fear or resistance attached to it.

Leaning into our fears is such an important part of growth and success. It pushes us out of our comfort zone. By facing what scares us, we can gain new confidence, overcome challenges, and build a mental toughness that makes us more resilient.

What if we spent more time leaning into our fears and less energy running away from them? I think this would dramatically alter our work, relationships, and life.

How to Lean in to Your Fears

1. Be honest about your fears

Everyone gets scared – it’s part of being human. However, the issue with fear is often not the fear itself, but our resistance or denial of the fear that becomes a problem.

Being honest with ourselves about our fears allows us to identify and understand what holds us back, paving the way for meaningful change. This self-awareness leads to growth and empowers us to take control of our lives.

2. Own your fears

See if you can spend some time and energy today and this week leaning into your fears more. This means admitting them, owning them, and facing them head on. We actually know how to transform our fear because we’ve done it many times throughout our lives. Lean on others, talk to God (or whatever higher power resonates with you), connect with that place within you that knows you can handle anything, and believe in yourself.

Owning our fears is key to real growth. When we acknowledge what scares us, we can effectively address it head-on. This honesty boosts our confidence and helps us break barriers. By facing our fears, we become ready to take on whatever comes our way.

3. Create a relationship with your fear

The more we lean into our fear, the more we can learn. When we’re not so afraid of our fears, we take back our power in a beautiful and courageous way. Will we still get scared? Of course. The point is not to get rid of our fear (which, by the way, will never happen until we die), the point is to create a relationship with our fear so that it doesn’t stop us from going for what we truly want and living the life of our dreams.

When we get to know what scares us, we can navigate it much more successfully.  Instead of running away, we can courageously face our fears, making us stronger and more confident.

Leaning into our fears pushes us beyond our limits, opening doors to new possibilities and opportunities. By facing what scares us, we can transform fear into strength, paving the way for a more fulfilling and courageous life.

Let’s LEAN IN and trust that things will always work out…they almost always do anyway.

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This article was originally published in 2007 and updated for 2024.