You and I know this feeling. You want to go for that job, or pursue your creative life outside of work, and you feel like you don’t belong. Maybe you want to try that yoga class because you’ve heard it could help center you, but you’ve never stepped foot in a studio. You’ve got something you want to do and you feel stuck and it makes you anxious.
If we consider that anxiety is your brain’s response, to feelings in your body, maybe your brain and mine too, are trying to protect us from being beginners at something. If you think about it, from hunter/gatherer days, being a beginner wouldn’t have been safe, right? You’d want a mentor with you, teaching you how to avoid bears and not eat anything poisonous. It makes sense that our brain is trying to protect us. So what can we do?
Well, that brain/body response doesn’t fully go away. We do learn to live alongside it.
When those feelings come up in a new situation try these tips:
- Thank your brain and body for trying to keep you safe
- Say to your body: “thank you for keeping me safe, but I’ve got this”
- Tell yourself, “I will get through this feeling, and will quickly relax into comfort”
- Feel your feet on the ground. Send grounding energy, connecting with the earth or the floor in the room.
- Sit back in your chair (relaxed) or stand with an open stance and let your body breath. Our body’s position (arms crossed in a defensive mode) can give our body information that says we’re unsafe.
Let me know if you find these tips helpful, or if there’s something you’d like to hear more about. These emails are for you! 🥰
Feel free to reach out if you ever need a chat, someone to bounce ideas off, or just a virtual high-five. Together, we’ll navigate this journey and make it a rewarding one!
