There’s a lot of talk about worry and overwhelm in the workplace. According to a recent report by Gallup, over half of the workforce is disengaged and another 18% are actively disengaged (rocking the boat in a negative way).

Pieces of this come from feeling a lack of control — a core human desire. When you feel like your world is being turned upside down every day/week/month, you operate from a different part of your brain, your amygdala.

The amygdala is responsible for releasing the hormones to prepare to fight in the face of danger, or flee from threat. And when you’re in that state, the parts of our brain that experience joy, creativity, trust, and connection are essentially powered down.

One way to make a change is to shift from worry to presence.

You can do this by starting with the worries you’re experiencing, and then shifting to appreciations and possibilities about the situation. Here are a few examples we see and hear often:

Worry: You won’t make enough money.
Presence: You have everything you need right now. There is plenty to go around.

Worry: You don’t know enough.
Presence: You know everything you need to know for today, and can find what you need to know next.

Worry: You’re going the wrong direction.
Presence: You feel something is off, and you can change direction by learning and asking for help.

Worry: You’re working too hard to maintain your health and relationships.
Presence: You care deeply about your career and community. Now you might need to take more breaks, switch up your rhythms, and continue focusing on the work you enjoy the most.

Worry: Ai is going to demolish your job, business, or industry.
Presence: There have been several technological leaps over the years, and you’ve adapted. You can find your way through this by learning with your community.

Worry: You aren’t healthy enough.
Presence: You have a working body, mind, and heart — and you can make decisions that keep you strong each day.

Everyone’s list is different. Start with naming your worries and embracing them. You have those worries for a reason. They’re coming from your own past experiences and fears. Once you name and embrace them, you can explore what shifts you need to make next — steps you can take to bring you back to today.

So, what are you worried about? And how can you shift your mindset today?


PS: This is taken from our Self Awareness & Resilience experiences for teams.