Effective strategies to calm your nerves

Even after all the work we put in, our nerves can get the best of us. The brain often tricks us into reacting to situations that remind us of past painful experiences, even when the future is uncertain. Uncertainty and nervousness can breed insecurities, anxiety and even paranoia in our minds. During these points of trigger, it’s essential to differentiate between a gut feeling and overthinking. Overthinking is led by fear, an emotional designed to help us survive. It takes over your whole system, making every worry and doubt about the future replay in your mind. Yet, it’s not always accurate and might fold us into making the wrong decision or act rashly.

It’s best to ask yourself, what specifically is the same between my current and previous situation? Is the decision I want to make based on fear or wisdom?

Wisdom learns from the past, not let the past run our lives in the future. Sometimes the best decision is to stay in the present and not force yourself to make a decision in the moment just because you don’t want to deal with the anxiety of waiting. The hard thing to do is the simplest thing and that’s to wait on the right time to decide.

identify your level of nervousness

1. Insecurity: feeling self-doubt or lacking confidence, often linked to not feeling good enough.

2. Anxiety: excessive worrying, negative outlook on the future, which can manifest physically (i.e. symptoms include increased heart rate, sweating, panic attack…etc.)

3. Paranoia: extreme distrust and suspicion, often creating irrational beliefs that others are plotting against you. It’s a stronghold on your mind that doesn’t easily listen to reason.

Upcoming calming techniques:

Stay tuned for upcoming blogs on step-by-step guides to these best practices to calm your nervous system:

1. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

2. Deep Breathing Exercises

3. Low-intensity Cardio

4. Yoga and Calisthenics

5. Strength Training at home

Conclusion

By identifying your triggers and practicing self-awareness, you can better manage nervousness. The key is staying present, using calming techniques, and making decisions based on wisdom, not fear. Future blogs will offer actionable steps to help calm your nerves and achieve peace.