Stressed before a big event?
Pause, be in the moment. Takes some deep breaths and notice how you’re body’s reacting to the perceived pressure. Go for a walk, and try to get a sense of your whole situation from a bird’s eye view (you may need someone else to help you do this). Remind yourself of the facts; consider the significance of:
- your abilities and qualities.
- the real impact and consequences of the negative things that you’re worried about – are they even going to happen at all?
Then make a plan of action for each possibility.
Stressed during a talk?
Pause, be in the moment. Smile and let your audience know how you feel. Take some deep breaths and remind yourself of the facts:
- you’re just talking to some people speaking about your specialist subject.
- it’s not as significant as you think. Even an interview or pitch that seems make-or-break could be one of many, and not the important one.
In short:
When stressed, stop and reset.
(Image by Benjamin Sloth on unsplash)