We all know how it feels. The tight knot you get in the very pit of your stomach, the butterflies which insist on fluttering aimlessly against your ribcage trying to escape. A mouth that suddenly becomes drier than the desert and of course that little voice in your head, which insists on raising the alarm bells at full volume.
If you hadn’t guessed it by now, I am referring to our two friends – one called nervousness, the other worry... fear. Every once in a while they like to raise their ugly heads, abandon their secret hiding place and spend just a little time making you feel as uncomfortable about the future as possible. Their favourite situation is often one which you are dreading the most. Something which you can’t help but feel slightly scared or even deeply terrified about. They concoct the worst scenarios between them and you become forced to visualise that the worst will undoubtedly happen.
Or will it?
There have been so many times when nervousness and worry have knocked upon my door. Usually it’s when I’m faced with a life changing decision or I am about to do something important. The pressure of performing well in job interviews, presentations and exams, or the kind of situation in life when your brain just sees fit to shout loudly from the rooftop… PANIC! Before instructing you that running for the hills as fast as you can, really is a good idea. My mind often decides to choose the ‘tangle her thoughts in the worst scenarios’ category – I ruminate over the situation I am dreading and imagine the worst that could happen. At least from a positive point of view, you could say I’m prepared. If the worst happens, I will have already imagined how I will choose handle it.
Right now, my big fear or should that be the situation I feel most nervous about is starting work experience tomorrow. For the next month or so, I shall be working in a private and senior office for a government minister and his team in London. It is, so I've been told one of those 'opportunities of a lifetime'. Naturally I am excited and also intrigued about what it's going to be like, yet at the same time I can't help but feel just a tiny bit nervous and worried. Am I going to feel like a complete fish out of water? Will I like it? and are people going to like me? So far my mind has decided that the worst scenario before I even arrive at the office tomorrow is that I'm going to get horribly lost or miss my train. Hopefully neither will happen.
I suppose when you take the time to think about it, the system in the short term doesn’t seem that bad. The reason we worry and get nervous and… fear is because our body is preparing us for what is to come. It gives us a little kick start of adrenaline to make sure you perform at your best. And if a poisonous snake or spider should decide to attack you, it could ultimately save your life. – After all, your brain having chosen to set off the alarm bells would most definitely make sure you were running for the hills.
It is said that you should 'face your fears head on'. Let them rear their ugly heads, taunt you with the worst scenarios imaginable and then look them straight in the eye, live through that fear and take no prisoners. Rather than letting fear devour you, try devouring it first. Your head may have chosen the worst scenario but that doesn’t mean it has to become your reality.
No comments:
Post a Comment