Leadership Anxiety

[lhr-]

Hey there,

I have inadvertently become the spokesperson for my entire student body, and I'm deathly afraid of the outcome. 

I launched a small scale investigation on some of the discrepancies occurring throughout leadership at my school, had a meeting with the principal to discuss my thoughts and findings, and found myself dissatisfied with the outcome. They deflected, shifted blame onto me, and overall did not answer any of my questions nor make any effort to take any action. I was livid and then found out more upsetting news which ended up snapping my final straw. I decided I wanted peaceful protest, and started planning for a walkout. 

I now have dozens of kids come up to me asking questions I don't have answers for, and it seems in the short amount of time it's been decided for, the news is spreading must faster than I intended. Most of them are on board, but the planned date is not for a while, and I know things will spread more. 

These people trust me to speak on behalf of them, to lead our cause, but I can't lie, I'm terrified. I don't mind being reprimanded for doing what I'm doing, but I am so worried others are going to get in trouble for something they didn't plan. I am sought out for guidance, answers and comfort, and I have to sit there and say words I don't believe. I know what I'm doing is right. I know what I'm doing will create the voice needed to cause the admin to take action, but damn it I'm terrified and have no idea how to manage it all. 

How do I manage all the stress? It has to happen I can't avoid it, but I'm so afraid of all the "what if's" in such an unusual situation.

[Sophie_M]

Hi Ihr-,

Thank you for your post. We’re glad you’ve found us here and felt comfortable sharing the anxiety you’re holding at the moment.

First of all – what you’re doing is pretty amazing! Advocating for yourself and your student body in the face of discrepancies or injustices is a hugely brave and powerful thing to do. It says a lot about your character that others feel safe entrusting you to speak on their behalf. Of course, that can come with a lot of pressure too, especially when it sounds like this has all come about quite unexpectedly. It’s totally valid to feel worried about doing everyone justice and thinking about the potential “what ifs.”

Honestly, even just showing up is a huge feat in itself, and something many of us would be terrified of doing! While there may always be that voice saying, “How can I do this justice?”, we hope you can know that you’re already doing a very courageous thing. It’s also very reasonable to set some boundaries if you’re feeling overwhelmed, such as only responding to messages or requests during certain times of the day. It’s a lot of work and can be emotionally draining.

Is there anything you find helpful for unwinding when the pressure feels too much? Something that helps you switch gears, like spending time outside, catching up with a friend, or journaling? You deserve time to fully switch off and recharge.

Thank you again for sharing. We’re here for you whenever you need. Please feel free to let us know how you’re travelling along the way.

Take good care of yourself, Ihr - hopefully there’s something nice you can treat yourself to today 🌻

Kind regards,
Sophie M