Fight, Flight, Fawn, Freeze

On 'Focus-on-Me' Fridays, I spend a little time learning something new.

Today's learning is on the fight, flight, fawn and freeze response.

These are all natural responses to stress or danger we may encounter in our personal / professional lives. Let's break them down:

- Fight: The need to fight back. This could manifest in a physical altercation, or it could be more subtle - like arguing with a coworker or pushing back against a difficult boss.

- Flight: The need to run away from a stressful situation. This could mean physically leaving a room/call, or it could mean avoiding certain tasks, responsibilities or people that feel overwhelming.

- Fawn: (New for me) The need to "make nice" in a stressful situation - trying to appease others or avoid conflict at all costs.

- Freeze: Finally, feeling paralyzed in a stressful situation. We may feel unable to act or make decisions, which can be incredibly frustrating and overwhelming.

Are there any that you tend to rely on more than others? Personally, I go in between fawn and fight depending on the situation.

For my last thought on 'Focus-on-Me' Friday, how can you support yourself, your team, and your peers in navigating stressful situations with grace and resilience? Exploring how you naturally react is a great way to create a plan for how you would like to act in the future.