Have you ever felt a rush of anxiousness before a job interview and begin to question if you are actually truly qualified for the position? Had sweaty palms moments before meeting your in-laws for the first time and wondered what if they do not like me? Experienced the panicky feeling right before an oral presentation because you begin to tell yourself you are not ready? These emotional (physical and internal) responses occur because as we approach these situations, we tend create the worse possible case scenarios.
How often does what we imagine take place? Probably not nearly as often as we torture ourselves with the what ifs. Take a moment and recall the last time you felt this way. Now recall if after the difficult situation you were faced with was over, you found yourself in a calmer state of mind. Anxiety is normal.
We all encounter triggers or stressors in our daily lives that briefly make us uncomfortable and awkward because we are not sure what to expect.
Unfortunately, we were not given the ability to predict the future, but we do have tools that can help us brace ourselves for it.
Mindfulness is a mighty qualified contender that holds its own when facing off against anxiety as its opponent. Mindfulness is a gift of the present and anxiety is a fear of the future and when applied consistently, mindfulness can be the gift that keeps on giving and anxiety can become one step closer to being a thing of the past. The essentials when being mindful are to remain nonjudgmental and self- aware in the present moment.
For example, as mentioned earlier regarding the anxiousness before a job interview, ask yourself what is true in that moment? Focus solely on what you know, not the what ifs, maybes, or I should haves. What is true is that you did in fact get the interview meaning you met preliminary requirements to interview, there is no need to question it. Anxiety can be managed at a healthy and non-intrusive level with mindfulness in your corner, take a chance and bet on yourself for once!
Blog Post Written by Wellness Contributor Keirra Goggins, BA (Psych.)
Photos by Norbert Kundrak, Snapwire, Christina Morillo, Fauxels from Pexels