When I was a kid, I got involved in Community Theater and landed a role as Amaryllis in The Music Man. I was thrilled and really had a blast. The cast and crew were wonderful people, and though it was time consuming and a lot of work, it all seemed like play to me (pun, unintended).
On opening night, I was literally jumping up and down with excitement and the pre-show chatter was rolling. Folks were talking about their stage-fright and jitters. Many people asked, "Are you nervous?"
I really didn't know what that meant. I definitely felt the blood pouring through my veins. My heart was pounding... physiologically, I had all the symptoms of nervousness... But I was so filled with joy! I agreed that it was nervousness finally simply because it seemed the thing to say... but to be completely honest, I wasn't nervous at all! Nervousness implies that I was scared. But I had no concept in my head that things might go wrong. I was just thrilled and excited to get on stage.
When preparing for my last triathlon, it was suggested that I reframe my nervousness as excitement, and it occurred to me that the reverse had happened in my life. I had wired myself to interpret excitement as nervousness, when, in fact, there was absolutely nothing to be afraid of. All of my fear was simply perception... not reality. First dates, climbing the stairs of a tall building, trying something new... All have the same physical effects of fear, but just because my heart is racing doesn't mean I'm scared. Since then I've been experimenting with this reframing... And I'm happy to say that I'm more excited about life than ever. Try it and let me know what you think!
1 comment:
I'm trying similar things. When I have symptoms of anxiety, I treat myself for anxiety even though the reason for the symptoms are flu or other problems. Definitely need to sort and reframe feelings because what currently has me worn out at work and feeling nervous is what used to be fun playtime for me at work.
Post a Comment