In order to know what to do to manage the fear, you’ve got to first understand what is causing the fear.
Here are some of the reasons fear may be showing up for you:
▶ It’s uncomfortable work and you are not sure what it will bring up for you if you start digging
▶ You are new to DEI work and don’t know where to start
▶ You’ve seen people get called out and cancelled in a way that has left you afraid and even put off
▶ You feel the need to do things the “right” way and as “perfectly” as you can so you do not offend or cause harm
Here’s what you can do to address the fear so you can show up in a way that is not only genuine but also feels good for you too:
👉🏾 Understand that there will always be a level of fear when it comes to areas in your life and business you are still learning and growing in. Being uncomfortable is part of doing the work. It is in fact necessary.
👉🏾 It can be overwhelming to know where to start and progress. Try not to over-complicate things. There’s no right or wrong place on where to start. The most important thing to do is to start. And so, start with what you have access to, a book, podcast, You Tube video, TED Talk, movie etc.
👉🏾 Get into the habit of consuming information whether it be DEI related or from BIPOC identifying folks consistently so you are giving yourself an opportunity to grow at a pace that is both easeful and sustainable as opposed to only showing up for this work when there’s been a public outcry.
👉🏾 Perfectionism is a tool that gets in the way of DEI work. There’s no room for it here. Allow yourself to come to the table as you are. Sure you’ll mess up, we all do at some point. The idea is not to focus on making mistakes but rather to focus on how you can learn and grow and how much better as a human being you will be for it.
Tell me friend, what’s one action step you are willing to take to manage the fear of doing DEI work? Tell me in the comments below.
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With love,
Annie
