When the seeds of progress are sown

“Times of stress and difficulty are seasons of opportunity when the seeds of progress are sown.” - Thomas F. Woddlock 

Reframing challenges in times of stress and difficulty

You see when we change the way we think about things, we can change the way we see them, and this in turn can open up new possibilities for us.

At its core, reframing challenges is about thinking about the situation or circumstances we find ourselves in a different way. It’s about shifting our perspective on an issue, event or how we see ourselves.  And when we can reframe our challenges from being problems to being invitations to grow, stretch and evolve we arouse our spirit of adventure and sow the seeds of new possibilities and progress.

This process often involves confronting our fears. There are a host of universal human fears we all grapple with including fear of not being enough, fear of the unknown, fear of being exposed, of being vulnerable, of not being accepted, as well as the fear of being ridiculed, of being judged unfairly, and of failing. If you feel any of these fears you are not alone. You are simple being human. 

Feeling fear is a a very human thing. And we are not meant to live a life absent of fear.  The role of fear is to keep us safe and alert us to danger.
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However, if we don’t have the courage to acknowledge and look at our fears they can become invisible barriers we can’t get past, that limit our lives, our self-expression and our capacity for joy.

So with all of this in mind I encourage you to adopt a "Reframing Your Challenges and Fears"  practice to engage with your fears, to take them by the hand and seek to understand them and how they are endeavoring to serve you.  You can engage in this practice of reflection alone or  with a professional coach.

Here are my favourite "Reframing Challenges and Fear" questions:

• What might be the purpose of this challenge/fear in my life?
• What message does this challenge/fear have for me?
• How is this challenge/fear trying to serve me? 
• What can I do to work with this positive intent?
• What if I couldn’t fail? 

And remember:

“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.”
Jack Cranefield
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Author

Maureen Owen MDOT – PCC
Transformational Coach, Facilitator & Consultant 
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Maureen supports leaders and their teams to navigate and lead at the edge. Committed to genuine partnership, she encourages clients to use the challenges they face as catalysts for growth, and the opportunity to learn, to  bring more of themselves, their gifts, their potential and humanity forward.

Maureen has over 25 years’ experience working with human and organisational dynamics as a successful coach, consultant and senior manager. Her work has focused on supporting leaders to navigate change, enhance leadership practice, build engagement and develop more robust relationships.