22 Nov Relaxing Your Nerves
Everybody has had moments where we’ve felt really uncomfortable about an upcoming event. We might be worried that we’re going to mess up in our final musical recital that we need to pass before graduation, or wonder if our body will coordinate in an upcoming sporting event. We might fret about if we’ll keep in mind everything we’ve practiced, if we’ll look professional enough or sound smart enough in our company presentation, or if we’ll nail that interview we’ve been waiting to have for months.
These are valid concerns and jitters are a real deal. Here’s the thing. There are always going to be countless excuses you can provide yourself involving why you should doubt your capabilities when it comes down to the wire. You may have had some less than desirable bodily issues during some of your training workouts. You may have had the PowerPoint presentation perfectly designed, only to have it entirely flop when you ran through it before the meeting. These types of things happen. And even though you may not have the chance to completely eradicate these fears, there are some practical things you can do, together with a few mental exercises to run through, that will help you prepare for the best and get your state of mind in the right place.
BASIC THINGS TO DO
If you spent hours going through what you know you need to say and crafting the best way to present information, go with what you prepared instead of shifting to something else last minute. Or, if you’re up over a physical challenge, comply with what you did in training instead of throwing something new at your body and hoping it will perform for you.
Have a good night’s sleep two nights prior to. No matter how well gotten ready you are, don’t depend on getting good sleep the night before something big. You might have to be up very early, or you may be managing a little nervousness that it’s actually go time. Bottom line? Get a good night’s sleep two nights before. That way, no matter what happens the night before, your body has some rest under its belt and that will count for something.
Get all the things ready the night before, and even a couple of nights before. Leaving readiness to the eleventh hour on the morning of is going to stress you out. Additionally, if you experience a hiccup, you likely won’t have adequate time to address it. If you get everything together and check it all earlier, however, you’ll have the chance to look after anything you may have overlooked and feel ready and prepared when you wake up the morning of.
Mentally get ready for any setbacks. Have a backup plan in your head for if things fail. In case the PowerPoint doesn’t work, the stereo cuts out, or there’s cruddy weather at your sporting function, you’ll have mentally prepared for it and you won’t panic or shut down due to less-than-favorable circumstances.
A FEW SHORT MENTAL WORKOUTS
You’re not going into it blind. If you can mentally get yourself to that place, you can view this final piece as a capstone, or even a celebration. You’ve just got to take a minute to reflect, and then bring everything you’ve got to the table, knowing it will be more than enough.
Focus on your thoughts. Are you paying attention to all the important things that could go wrong, the people you should impress, or the instances where things went less than stellar during preparation? Or, are you carrying positive energy into your mind by all the reasons why this is a great moment and a good possibility? It can also be useful to spend some time thinking about how you want to carry out this experience. Most things similar to this don’t occur over and over, and you want to remember with no regrets. … think strong, and believe that you’re capable, and you know what you’re doing. Positive energy and positive thoughts will undoubtedly add to a favorable outcome.
If this event has something to do with work, think about those who have expressed their confidence in you by extending this opportunity to you. If you’re participating in an endurance athletic event, for example, it is inspiring to take some time to think back on the journey. Gratitude and reflection have a remarkable ability to get you to a healthy mindset, and they’re a mindfulness practice that inspires, lifts, and motivates.
And as for the other things that need to be negotiated, such as lots of people and crazy traffic? Get a coach and take a food or wine tour to unwind. For whatever event concerns are forthcoming, we’d love to help take care of some of that by offering assistance with transportation or being a part of the fun once the shindig is over.