When we feel threatened, our brains click over to fight or flight or freeze mode. We attack, run, or seize up. And this does not help us address the “threat” intelligently. Ok, we have heard this before. But there are two more (tricky) manifestations of this that also counterproductive, but less obviously so. (1) FAWN:Continue reading “Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn, Fix”
Monthly Archives: March 2025
Leading for Lent – Part 2
Two weeks ago, I wondered about what it would look like to take on the discomfort of leading, of gathering a group around a purpose, for Lent. This bit from chapter one of The Art of Gathering nicely focuses the challenge for our times.
Leading for Lent
I’ve heard that action is the antidote to anxiety. Recently, I’ve been wondering if it is not a little more specific.
What if agency, exercising intention and leadership in an uncertain situation, is in fact the way that uncertainty becomes less intimidating and more manageable?
And in situations where we seem to have no agency, we can learn to see that we do have a quite powerful opportunity: the possibility of gathering people together. More than we know, we are capable of convening a meaningful gathering serving a need of people we live, work, or pray with.
(I’ve recently picked up this book again to get better at this skill.)
Committing to convene a group of folks who need you is a cool thing to do for the liturgical season that started this Wednesday.
That is, what if we chose to lead for Lent?
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