On Nervousness/Anxiety

I don’t normally categorize myself as a nervous person then what inevitably happens is that I’m up past midnight because I can’t sleep the night before an important presentation.

Yep. Knock knock. It’s my sleep demons again.

They mock me — critiquing my every move, calling me names, in general acting like bullies. Not fun.

Preparation will always be my first move to dispel these kind of anxieties and after a longer period of time, I generally am able to get to bed knowing that I’m prepared.

But what if it’s something that I’ve only just started? Something new? Something with a lot riding on the line?

I guess what I’ve only just begun figuring out is that the best way to disarm someone who’s insulting you is with a compliment. Meet anger and frustration with kindness. So the best way to dispel anxiety and nervousness is to compliment yourself.

It’s an odd thing to attempt to do but the next time you find yourself staring up at the ceiling at night, try to give yourself some grace and come up with a genuine compliment for yourself. Stop treating yourself like a jerk and you’ll relax a bit more.