Do you ever find yourself having important projects that you keep putting off, and every Sunday night, you end up overwhelmed with a long list of tasks and not enough time? As I’ve explored self-leadership, I’ve discovered that the fear of change often arises when you feel like you have no control over the future.

Imagine this: You’ve been working at a stable job for years, but suddenly, the company undergoes a major restructuring, and your position is at risk. The uncertainty of what lies ahead triggers fear in your mind, and it starts replaying a traumatic story from your past, where you faced a similar situation and struggled to find a way out.

Your brain thinks it’s protecting you by reminding you of this past trauma, but in reality, it’s causing more harm than good. The more you replay this story in your head, the more real it feels. It’s like living in a nightmare that never ends. You become convinced that history will repeat itself, and you’ll be stuck in this dreadful situation forever.

Now, let’s dive deeper into this nightmare. In your mind, you see yourself losing your job, struggling to make ends meet, and feeling like a failure. You start to withdraw from friends and family, afraid to let them see your pain. The stress and anxiety take a toll on your health, and you find yourself unable to sleep, constantly tossing and turning as the future haunts your thoughts.

As the weeks turn into months, you become paralyzed by fear. You can’t make any decisions about your career or life because the nightmare has consumed every inch of your being. It feels like you’re in a dark, suffocating pit with no way out. You see others around you moving on with their lives, finding new opportunities, but you can’t shake off the nightmare’s grip.