Embrace the moment and transform feelings of anxiousness into excitement
When preparing for nerve-wracking events that conjure up butterflies in your stomach, it’s easy to consider these anxious feelings a negative sign, resulting in feelings of dread. When these thoughts and feelings appear, it’s because the natural fight-or-flight response has kicked in, where your heart begins to race and your stomach feels as though it’s in knots.
During this response it is common for the brain to take over to convince you that this situation is making you anxious or fearful for the event ahead. However, anxiety and excitement come from the same chemical process in the brain, meaning if you can differentiate the bad anxiety from the good, and decide to enjoy the experience, you could transform the feeling of fear into excitement.
Visualisation is a powerful tool for conquering feelings of anxiousness. Picturing a positive outcome can boost confidence levels and help you believe that the situation you’re facing will be an opportunity for positive personal
growth. In cases where nervous feelings start to arise, instead of getting caught up in the feeling of fear and retreating, try to imagine a positive end result and channel that anxious feeling into doing something productive or high energy, helping to prepare your body and mind for the challenge ahead.
If you find that you’re struggling with a more serious case of anxiety, it is recommended that you talk to someone you trust and seek the advice of a health professional or organisation for further help.
