Feed your courage before it feeds your reactions

THE ART & SCIENCE OF LEADING SELF
The Power of Response Over Reaction

My friend, art has a way of revealing deeper truths when you sit with it long enough to listen.

Last week's exploration of Calle 13's profound lyric - "Si mi valor tiene estómago vacío" - led to examining how you nourish your courage through beliefs, values, and support systems. Those insights sparked meaningful conversations about what feeds your courage.

Today's newsletter offers an interpretation that reveals another important truth about courage: just as physical hunger can transform into a state where reactions override reasoned responses, an unfed courage might leave you vulnerable to the same pattern.

The Cost of Courage Running on Empty

Think about the last time you were "hangry."

Your patience wears thin more quickly in this state. Small inconveniences feel like major disruptions. Your normal capacity for measured responses diminishes.

This same pattern emerges when your courage runs empty.

Your unfed courage reveals itself in reactive leadership moments.

You might snap at a team member who questions your decision. You could retreat from a necessary but difficult conversation. Your tendency to micromanage might intensify when facing uncertainty.

These reactions signal your courage needs nourishment.

Consider how differently you show up when you've just eaten a satisfying meal. Your mind is clear. Your emotions are steady. Your responses flow from a place of genuine consideration rather than immediate reaction.

The same holds true for a well-fed courage.

When your courage is well-nourished (think: your beliefs, values, and support system), you are better poised to respond rather than react. This distinction truly matters for your leadership effectiveness.

Response comes from awareness. It emerges from the space between stimulus and action. This space is what mindfulness creates.

Your capacity to respond starts with recognizing when your courage is operating on an empty stomach.

Your Early Warning System

Mindfulness supports your ability to identify when your courage needs nourishment.

Just as your body alerts you to hunger through clear signals, your unfed courage sends its own messages. Your heart races before speaking up in meetings. Your shoulders tense when facing tough conversations. Your breathing becomes shallow when uncertainty strikes.

These physical signals are trying to tell you something - they are often pointing towards your courage.

Your mindfulness practice helps you notice these signals before reactivity takes over.

This is where M = f(m) - my framework that highlights that Mindset work is a function of Mindfulness - comes into play. Your beliefs influence how you interpret and respond to situations. Those beliefs shape your courage.

Mindfulness helps you observe your beliefs, how you relate to them, and how your interpretations translate into action (or inaction).

It is like a dashboard warning light for your courage.

When you notice yourself snapping at team members who question decisions, that's a warning light. When you find yourself avoiding necessary but difficult conversations, that's another signal. When uncertainty triggers excessive micromanagement, that's your courage telling you it's inching closer to running on empty.

Mindfulness creates the space between these signals and your response.

Without this awareness, you might continue operating on a metaphorical empty stomach. Your reactions would flow automatically from your unfed courage. Your leadership effectiveness would suffer.

But awareness gives you a choice.

In that space of awareness, you can choose to nourish your courage before reactivity takes over. You can recognize the warning signals and respond thoughtfully rather than react automatically.

This is where real transformation in your leadership begins.

Leading with Well-Fed Courage

Your ability to lead effectively flows from well-fed courage.

When your courage is nourished, you make decisions from a place of clarity instead of reactivity. You face difficult conversations with steady resolve. Your presence invites open dialogue rather than defensive responses.

This kind of leadership creates ripple effects.

Your team notices the difference between reactive and responsive leadership.

They feel safer bringing you concerns when you respond thoughtfully rather than react defensively. They engage more openly in crucial conversations when they sense your grounded courage. They trust your judgment because it flows from a centered place.

This trust strengthens your entire leadership ecosystem.

My Invitation to You

Art invites multiple interpretations.

I’m sharing what this one verse sparks in me. As I do that, I'm curious about what insights this metaphor generates for you. As we explore this perspective together, feel free to share your reflections by replying to this email.

I’m genuinely interested to hear your thoughts. 😊

FROM INSIGHT TO ACTION
Putting It Into Practice

Take 10 minutes to explore a recent leadership moment where you reacted instead of responded.

Notice what physical signals were present in that moment. Was your heart racing? Were your shoulders tense? Was your breathing shallow? Write down what you observe without judgment.

How might your physical reactions in that moment point towards unfed courage? Be specific.

Understanding your unique signals helps you recognize when your courage needs nourishment. It creates the space for choice. It empowers you to be proactive about feeding your courage before reactivity takes the wheel.

DEEPENING YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Resources for You

🧠 Want to understand the neuroscience behind emotional self-regulation and its impact on leadership? Check out Lisa Feldman Barrett's groundbreaking work. (Link)

🌟 Ready to develop greater emotional awareness? Daniel Goleman provides research-backed strategies for strengthening this critical skill. (Link)

🎥 This powerful TED Talk will shape how you think about the relationship between emotions and courage. (Link)

EXCELLENCE UNBOUNDED
How I Can Help You

🚀 Leadership Solutions as Unique as Your Organization

Leadership challenges are never the same for two organizations, so why should leadership programs be? My bespoke leadership programs are designed to empower organizations by cultivating leaders who thrive in today’s complex and unpredictable world.

With a modular design, each program is tailored to address your organization’s unique challenges and goals - whether it’s navigating uncertainty, building resilient teams, driving innovative solutions, enhancing emotional intelligence or deepening cross-cultural competencies.

Let’s partner to create a path to leadership excellence, together.

🎤 Speaking Engagements: My mom can attest to the fact that I LOVE to talk. 😂 Now, I put that talent to work delivering talks on Mindset, Courage, Resilience, & Innovation.

A few past clients include KraftHeinz, Amazon Women @ Payments, PAHEi, & the Panamá Chapter of the International Coaching Federation (I delivered this talk in Spanish).

If you are interested in having me speak at your event, please fill out this form.

Until next Sunday,

Shawnette