Remembering to…
Had my first business call last week. And to put it mildly: I was freaking out. I could feel my heart racing, my palms sweating, my voice squeaking during the call — it was quite the experience…one that I’ll probably never forget.
Soon after that business call, I managed to set up two more meetings with two other potential clients and I have to be honest: the prospect of having two more business calls during the week freaked me out. I didn’t like it. But as with all challenges both in the work place and life, the best thing we can do is face them head on (also there was no way I was going to cancel those business calls because I was nervous!).
You ever been told to take some deep breaths? Have you ever been told that those deep breathes will calm you down? Well, there’s a reason people tell you take deep breaths when you’re nervous and that’s because it really does help you calm down. It helps your mind collect itself, it helps you focus. Before each of my next two upcoming business calls, I spent five minutes just taking some deep breaths. I didn’t have any intention of suppressing my nerves, I simple allowed myself to observe them as I was breathing. And you know what? This was surprisingly therapeutic. While I was still nervous, I’d say those two business calls were significantly better than the first and I’d most certainly attribute my results to my momentary breathing exercises.
For you, the reader, perhaps it’s not a business call, maybe it’s a meeting with an executive, or you maybe you’re leading a project for the first time — the challenges we experience in the work place are seemingly infinite and while we cannot for the life of us stop ourselves from being nervous, we can tame it.
When we’re nervous, we’re often so preoccupied with anticipation and anxiety, we leave little energy for our bodies to function healthily. Our bones shake, our hearts race. And you know what? The solution to the madness is so simple — so primitive. No, you don’t need to take relaxation pills, no you don’t need to hire a life coach. Don’t overthink it, you don’t need much. Find a spot to sit, close your eyes (or keep them open if you prefer), take some deep breaths — sometimes counting helps. The second you take you take your mind off automatic mode as you pay attention to your breath, suddenly your anxious thoughts have nowhere to go. Your body begins to calm and before you know it, you’re more ready than ever to approach the challenge ahead of you.
