We don’t like to think of ourselves as worriers.
Yet plenty of circumstances require nerve.
• Public speaking
• Meeting a new person when something is on the line
• Traveling somewhere
• Needing to make a big sale
• Giving a presentation at work
• Making an important life-change
Normal concerns of life can also stress us. Questions such as, how can I best provide for my family? Are my loved ones safe? What will the future hold?
It’s important to note that not all stressors are harmful. The production of adrenaline is natural, and helpful if received in intermittent doses. Adrenaline only becomes problematic if we feel it all the time.
If I go speak somewhere, then I want to feel alert and aware. I just don’t want to feel overly-stressed or anxious.
So, what do we do? How do we live our lives the most excellent way in situations that cause us to feel on-edge or overly-adrenalized?
Here are the 5 best ways to leave worry behind.
1. Prepare Preparation is your best friend.
A professional public speaker told me that if ever he feels nervous on stage, then he attributes that feeling to having not prepared enough.
Otherwise, he knows he’s rehearsed. He knows he has the skills. Preparation gives him confidence.
2. Cushion Cushion means leaving yourself margin.
This could be allowing extra time to get somewhere.
Or leaving extra money in the bank as a rainy day fund.
Or creating emotional distance between yourself and a chaotic situation.
Or strategically scheduling days off and vacations as a means to recharge.
I had the privilege of traveling by plane several times with Buck Compton (1921-2012). He was famous for wanting to get to the airport far ahead of his scheduled departure time. That was just his way of dealing with any contingencies that might arise. A good plan.
3. Visualize Visualization is a mental trick used the world over by top athletes, businessmen, and performers.
You mentally rehearse something before it takes place to see for yourself what success looks like in that role.
Along with seeing success, you can ask yourself all the hard questions beforehand to ensure that contingencies are in place if problems do arise.
4. Exercise Daily exercise lowers your blood pressure, releases all sorts of good endorphins into your system, lowers your resting heart rate, and clears your mind.
If I need to go speak somewhere, I’ll go for a run the morning before the event. That helps get me in a good mental mindset.
If I’m flying somewhere and have a layover, I won’t just sit and veg. I’ll strategically walk up and down the corridors of the airport to get some exercise and lower any stress I may be feeling.
5. Breathe Your breathing rate and blood pressure and closely related, and one can profoundly affect the other.
To alleviate stress, practice breathing from your diaphragm. Breathe deeply, consciously, and steadily.
Try this exercise: breathe in for the count of 4, hold the breath for the count of 4, then let the breath out for the count of 4. Repeat the exercise for 5 to 10 minutes.
When I breathe consciously, I’ll often strategically bring peaceful thoughts into my head. The phrase I use is “My breathing is peaceful and calm.” It’s like you’re talking yourself through a stressful situation.
This post was written by Marcus Brotherton. For the original post, go to: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/afewgrownmen/2014/10/the-5-best-ways-to-leave-worry-behind/#ixzz3HUWptooR
Yet plenty of circumstances require nerve.
• Public speaking
• Meeting a new person when something is on the line
• Traveling somewhere
• Needing to make a big sale
• Giving a presentation at work
• Making an important life-change
Normal concerns of life can also stress us. Questions such as, how can I best provide for my family? Are my loved ones safe? What will the future hold?
It’s important to note that not all stressors are harmful. The production of adrenaline is natural, and helpful if received in intermittent doses. Adrenaline only becomes problematic if we feel it all the time.
If I go speak somewhere, then I want to feel alert and aware. I just don’t want to feel overly-stressed or anxious.
So, what do we do? How do we live our lives the most excellent way in situations that cause us to feel on-edge or overly-adrenalized?
Here are the 5 best ways to leave worry behind.
1. Prepare Preparation is your best friend.
A professional public speaker told me that if ever he feels nervous on stage, then he attributes that feeling to having not prepared enough.
Otherwise, he knows he’s rehearsed. He knows he has the skills. Preparation gives him confidence.
2. Cushion Cushion means leaving yourself margin.
This could be allowing extra time to get somewhere.
Or leaving extra money in the bank as a rainy day fund.
Or creating emotional distance between yourself and a chaotic situation.
Or strategically scheduling days off and vacations as a means to recharge.
I had the privilege of traveling by plane several times with Buck Compton (1921-2012). He was famous for wanting to get to the airport far ahead of his scheduled departure time. That was just his way of dealing with any contingencies that might arise. A good plan.
3. Visualize Visualization is a mental trick used the world over by top athletes, businessmen, and performers.
You mentally rehearse something before it takes place to see for yourself what success looks like in that role.
Along with seeing success, you can ask yourself all the hard questions beforehand to ensure that contingencies are in place if problems do arise.
4. Exercise Daily exercise lowers your blood pressure, releases all sorts of good endorphins into your system, lowers your resting heart rate, and clears your mind.
If I need to go speak somewhere, I’ll go for a run the morning before the event. That helps get me in a good mental mindset.
If I’m flying somewhere and have a layover, I won’t just sit and veg. I’ll strategically walk up and down the corridors of the airport to get some exercise and lower any stress I may be feeling.
5. Breathe Your breathing rate and blood pressure and closely related, and one can profoundly affect the other.
To alleviate stress, practice breathing from your diaphragm. Breathe deeply, consciously, and steadily.
Try this exercise: breathe in for the count of 4, hold the breath for the count of 4, then let the breath out for the count of 4. Repeat the exercise for 5 to 10 minutes.
When I breathe consciously, I’ll often strategically bring peaceful thoughts into my head. The phrase I use is “My breathing is peaceful and calm.” It’s like you’re talking yourself through a stressful situation.
This post was written by Marcus Brotherton. For the original post, go to: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/afewgrownmen/2014/10/the-5-best-ways-to-leave-worry-behind/#ixzz3HUWptooR
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