How I Prepare Myself For Something I'm Nervous For
I'm breaking my rules by posting today, but tomorrow I do something really important. I was looking on Google for a post like the one I'm about to write but couldn't find the exact one I was looking for, so I thought if I can't find one, then I should just do one myself.
Tomorrow I start my training for work. Which means very soon I'll be working. I'm terrified and full of nervous energy, but also a little exhilarated. Because this is the biggest thing I've ever done. I've never done anything that scares me because I couldn't face doing it, and this job has been the first thing I've done by myself.
It scares me because it's not on a pathway. The pathway is school, college, uni, career and I've veered off that so there's no structure, just like there isn't in a field -away from the pathway.
It feels like I'm in an open ocean, there's no one around but me, and I'm in control of my own destiny and that's what terrifies and exhilarates me.
So I do this thing, when I was younger it would be for school, where I take the entire day to myself to get myself 'ready'.
Like I'd pamper myself, get my homework done, eat dinner early, sleep early. That kind of thing. And I realised it was because I was nervous, I did this always the day before returning to school after a break.
And I've done it today.
So I thought I'd write a list-post about how I prepare myself for things I'm scared to do/the first day of something/before something important. Like work.
1, I woke up this morning -early, and had a good breakfast. Kind of, I'm on a diet and drinking those cool weight loss milkshakes. But have a good breakfast.
2, I went out for an hour long walk. Exercise calms the mind, releases feel good hormones, and is a good way to release your nervous energy. By pounding the pavement or running so fast your lungs explode, getting some kind of release on the tension building up inside is the best way to start this day of 'preparement'
3, I tidied my room, if my room is tidy and fresh then I'm ready to start a fresh new chapter of my life. Waking up to a messy room isn't going to fill me with positivity on the day of my 'big something', it will mentally put me in a mind of sluggishness because mess and things connected to laziness is the first thing I'd lay my eyes on.
Having a clean room makes me feel grown up, responsible, and ready to take on anything.
4, Then I spent time with my pets. This sounds odd, and I spend time with my pets everyday, my cats are my entire life, but I've read somewhere that animals are really good at reducing anxieties because of the love and bond you have, going for a walk or having them sit on your knee, uses that bond and familiarity to calm you.
5, I've just right now got out of the bath, and about to have a little pamper session. Aside from baths being relaxing, and a pamper session being a good time to be in your mind space and a calming atmosphere, I like to turn up on the first day of things being the most perfect version of myself. And I don't do this to seek approval from others, I do it because I like to know that on this day I will be my best version of myself, and it gives me a lot of confidence in areas where I'll lack in others.
I'm a very clumsy person and I'm pooing myself at the thought of tripping over or doing something of a 'typical Shannon'. But if I know I look good, I'll be giving myself the power to walk into a room like Beyonce. And Beyonce dances in killer heels. She ain't gonna make a fool out herself. And tomorrow I'll say, I look like Beyonce (that's what you gotta tell yourself) so I ain't gonna make a fool out of myself either.
6, Read, once I'm pampered I'll read for a bit. It's a good way to be in your head space but distracted at the same time, filling with things other panic.
7, Get entire outfit sorted out. I'm not one for planning outfits, I'll generally think about what I'd like to wear from day to day, but on important days I'll plan everything down to my underwear. For me personally, it's important to look classy, stylish, but extremely comfortable. You can't be trying to fight nerves if you're not even comfortable in what you're wearing. You don't want to be pulling and tugging at your clothes all day it's very distracting and a nervous habit, you will be showing everyone that you're nervous.
8, Pack everything in advance. If you need a lunch, make that the night before, put all the obvious things in your bag, pens, notebook, documents, makeup touch ups, then put in the things you might not need but always good if handy. Like baby wipes, gum, hand sanitiser/lotion, a hairbrush, umbrella, your phone number if you don't know it off hand...
9, Eat a good dinner. Nerves are never good on an empty stomach, a good meal will make energised, full of nutrients, calmer actually -food always makes me calmer. And it's easier to go to sleep on a full stomach.
10, I'm going to watch one of my favourite films, which I've watched a lot so it's something I'm familiar with, and something that warms my heart and will unwind me.
11, Get a reasonably early night, an overworked brain needs a solid sleep to keep you calmer the next day. Also, getting that extra bit of sleep will make it easier to wake up, and one of the most important things for the actual day is to not turn up late.
Tips
Tomorrow I start my training for work. Which means very soon I'll be working. I'm terrified and full of nervous energy, but also a little exhilarated. Because this is the biggest thing I've ever done. I've never done anything that scares me because I couldn't face doing it, and this job has been the first thing I've done by myself.
It scares me because it's not on a pathway. The pathway is school, college, uni, career and I've veered off that so there's no structure, just like there isn't in a field -away from the pathway.
It feels like I'm in an open ocean, there's no one around but me, and I'm in control of my own destiny and that's what terrifies and exhilarates me.
So I do this thing, when I was younger it would be for school, where I take the entire day to myself to get myself 'ready'.
Like I'd pamper myself, get my homework done, eat dinner early, sleep early. That kind of thing. And I realised it was because I was nervous, I did this always the day before returning to school after a break.
And I've done it today.
So I thought I'd write a list-post about how I prepare myself for things I'm scared to do/the first day of something/before something important. Like work.
1, I woke up this morning -early, and had a good breakfast. Kind of, I'm on a diet and drinking those cool weight loss milkshakes. But have a good breakfast.
2, I went out for an hour long walk. Exercise calms the mind, releases feel good hormones, and is a good way to release your nervous energy. By pounding the pavement or running so fast your lungs explode, getting some kind of release on the tension building up inside is the best way to start this day of 'preparement'
3, I tidied my room, if my room is tidy and fresh then I'm ready to start a fresh new chapter of my life. Waking up to a messy room isn't going to fill me with positivity on the day of my 'big something', it will mentally put me in a mind of sluggishness because mess and things connected to laziness is the first thing I'd lay my eyes on.
Having a clean room makes me feel grown up, responsible, and ready to take on anything.
4, Then I spent time with my pets. This sounds odd, and I spend time with my pets everyday, my cats are my entire life, but I've read somewhere that animals are really good at reducing anxieties because of the love and bond you have, going for a walk or having them sit on your knee, uses that bond and familiarity to calm you.
5, I've just right now got out of the bath, and about to have a little pamper session. Aside from baths being relaxing, and a pamper session being a good time to be in your mind space and a calming atmosphere, I like to turn up on the first day of things being the most perfect version of myself. And I don't do this to seek approval from others, I do it because I like to know that on this day I will be my best version of myself, and it gives me a lot of confidence in areas where I'll lack in others.
I'm a very clumsy person and I'm pooing myself at the thought of tripping over or doing something of a 'typical Shannon'. But if I know I look good, I'll be giving myself the power to walk into a room like Beyonce. And Beyonce dances in killer heels. She ain't gonna make a fool out herself. And tomorrow I'll say, I look like Beyonce (that's what you gotta tell yourself) so I ain't gonna make a fool out of myself either.
6, Read, once I'm pampered I'll read for a bit. It's a good way to be in your head space but distracted at the same time, filling with things other panic.
7, Get entire outfit sorted out. I'm not one for planning outfits, I'll generally think about what I'd like to wear from day to day, but on important days I'll plan everything down to my underwear. For me personally, it's important to look classy, stylish, but extremely comfortable. You can't be trying to fight nerves if you're not even comfortable in what you're wearing. You don't want to be pulling and tugging at your clothes all day it's very distracting and a nervous habit, you will be showing everyone that you're nervous.
8, Pack everything in advance. If you need a lunch, make that the night before, put all the obvious things in your bag, pens, notebook, documents, makeup touch ups, then put in the things you might not need but always good if handy. Like baby wipes, gum, hand sanitiser/lotion, a hairbrush, umbrella, your phone number if you don't know it off hand...
9, Eat a good dinner. Nerves are never good on an empty stomach, a good meal will make energised, full of nutrients, calmer actually -food always makes me calmer. And it's easier to go to sleep on a full stomach.
10, I'm going to watch one of my favourite films, which I've watched a lot so it's something I'm familiar with, and something that warms my heart and will unwind me.
11, Get a reasonably early night, an overworked brain needs a solid sleep to keep you calmer the next day. Also, getting that extra bit of sleep will make it easier to wake up, and one of the most important things for the actual day is to not turn up late.
Tips
- Text your friends for messages of encouragement. Hearing lots of "you can do this" and "you'll be great"s will make you feel better about yourself.
- Tell yourself you're gonna be great. Talk out loud, say the words "I'm gonna smash this" "I'm not going to fall over" "They're going to like me" and trick your brain into believing it.
- Practice your posture. Sitting upright, standing with your back straight, shoulders back, head up, hair out of your eyes, creates the illusion of a confident person, not just to others, but to yourself as well. By opening up your body language your mind thinks you're confident and you'll start to feel it.
- Meditate. A few years ago, hell even a few weeks ago, if somebody would have said the word "meditate" I'd have laughed and pictured a Buddha statue in my head. Even though secretly it's something I've always wanted to do. But this week I've decided to look into it, and I love it. It calms the mind, reduces stress, anxiety, gets rid of any negative emotion, and fills the mind with positive feelings. Taking a few minutes to yourself to concentrate of your breathing does absolute wonders. You best believe I'm dong this tonight, tomorrow morning when I wake up, and in the car on the way down. Just to stop myself from going into hysteria.
That's everything, I swear by this -or most of this routine every time I do something I'm unfamiliar or uncomfortable with. Tomorrow I'm bound to post a little chatty thing about how I got on, if not the day after once I've actually finished my training. Nevertheless, the next time I post should be after I've done this 'jumping three miles out of my tight, small box' thing...
Shaan x
Comments
Post a Comment