Recently, my daughter told me how she felt nervous at work when approaching a male customer who looked a bit rough and was not smiling. Her solution was to take a deep breath and flip the switch in her brain to positivity. She gave him a big smile in a relaxed manner. It worked to get him comfortable, and she enjoyed learning that he was a "skater dude," and he left with a smile.
Sometimes there is something that catches you and ignites fearfulness. That darn ego has the rule over fight or flight behavior to keep you safe. And, it rears its ugly head and shouts in your head when you feel threatened.
As movie star John Wayne said, "Courage is being scared to death… and saddling up anyway."*
And, according to an article in Psychology Today**, taking small, positive, steps to face fear can do wonders to calm down your brain and your life.
Try This: Flip the Fear Switch
During the week ahead, if you have something that creates anxiety or worry, face it with one of these:
- Breathing Technique - For something quick, use a "4-6-8" breath technique to help your body relax within seconds. Breathe in through your nose for 4 counts, hold it deeply in your lungs for 6, and breathe out through your mouth for 8, breathing out tension as you do so and feeling your body relax.
- Meditation - If facing something bigger that is weighing on your mind, try taking ten to fifteen minutes to sit quietly and relax. My friend Darcy shared this 11-minute guided meditation from an ASU professor with me: https://youtu.be/3ARtuq7YUVI.
- Exercise - Remember the walking challenge I gave you last week (https://nicolettelemmon.com/take-a-walk/)? A simple walk of 20-30 minutes helps to release tension and distract your mind away from the fearful issue.
The key is that facing your fears creates resilience and enables you to be more successful. Whether it's a little thing that can be fixed with a smile like Amanda used or a mediation like my friend Darcy shared, simply flip the fear switch!
*John Wayne quotes: https://www.inspiringquotes.us/quotes/6KB1_YmeTbEVq
**Help for Anxiety: Facing Your Fears Will Heal Your Brain: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/prescriptions-life/201808/help-anxiety-facing-your-fears-will-heal-your-brain