Our world continues to expand, erupt and unfold at a rate we can barely keep up with. If you’re anything like me, this can so activate low to mid-level anxiety.

I had a bit of a huge aha this week while leading a group of eager, passionate and committed leaders… I realized that during actual client calls – all week long – my anxiety disappeared. It dawned on me that I couldn’t experience anxiety and creativity at the same time. Let me say that again:

You cannot experience anxiety and creativity in your mind, body and soul at the same time.

Think about it. When you’re into a wildly compelling project or focused on creating something new for your life, work or business, 99% of the experience is creativity oriented.

Why am I talking about this? As we be with the two global changes happening in our world, the pace of change can so activate your anxiety. I notice that my anxiety is attached to trying to ‘maintain what is and has been.’ Well, as we know that game is over. The ship is moving and there is much letting go and no longer trying to manage what is. It is now time to be in the creative space of ‘what wants to be?’ even if it is confronting. Actually, it will be confronting.

Think of it this way… and hold this concept loosely:

The manager in you wants to maintain what is and the leader in you wants to create something new. Maintaining usually activates your anxiety. Creating, on the other hand, will activate your aliveness… and zest for life.

This week I began to take note of when my anxiety would go up, and then I would do one of three things to try and counter it, all in the land of putting on my creativity hat:

1. Get on a call and be committed to my clients and workshop participant’s creative selves.
2. Write on a flipchart some new creative ideas: for my upcoming Fall event; or a new workshop that has been in my back of my mind; or the 5 key stories for a new keynote that I have been mulling over.
3. Write in my journal, which is really a secret way for me to get another book done, which is on my bucket list.

When I focus on the above, there simply is no room for my anxious self. Give this a try for your coming week and let me know how it goes.

More to come-
Rick