A quick psychological trick to shift our mindset is by reframing feelings of stress into excitement!
Think back to the last time you tried to reduce feelings of stress. Many of us might tell ourselves to calm down. The problem with this is that feeling stressed and calm are two very different emotional states and so we’re not foolin’ anyone!
Instead, we have more luck tricking our brain into thinking we’re excited rather than stressed or anxious. This is because both feelings produce an elevated heart rate, sweat, jitteriness and butterflies in the stomach.
It’s helpful to reframe feelings of stress into excitement because we tend to link feelings of stress and anxiety to negative impacts on performance. However, we don’t tend to do the same when we feel excited. Instead, when we feel excited we’re more likely to be in an opportunity mindset which is where we look for the good that can happen in our current situation.
So, next time you feel stressed or anxious give it a go! Say, “I am so excited!”
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