Coworkers and I got together yesterday to bond and enjoy each other's company. A small group of us got into a conversation about addressing the proverbial elephant in the room.

The problem with the elephant is that nobody wants to say it's there. Nobody wants to acknowledge it, greet it, welcome it to the party, and ask what it needs. If the elephant was a house guest, we could be the rudest of hosts.

But what I notice, and what my coworker rightly observed, if we name it - address it - say it's name - the elephant becomes a friend.

Fear doesn't want to be named. Because if we name it, it can't control us. Remember, fear wants to be your friend, but your "friend" in the shadows, whispering toxic nothings into your ear.

But say it's name, shine a light on it, and see it for what it is - the game changes.

Suddenly we see what we were keeping ourselves from.

And now that we see, we get to decide what to do next - pick up your feet and take a step.

The elephant in the room has a name.

Say it.