Ways to Deal with Nerves Part 3

If you find yourself in situations where you feel nervous or might feel nervous then it is always good to have some coping strategies to deal with this.  Confronting those situations head on will help you to deal with them and over time it will become more manageable. Letting nerves stop you from doing what you want or need to do is not going to help. Remember you are your own worst enemy.  I recently gave a speech to a room of strangers and was really worried about it.  Even though I had some nerves, which is natural and there was a moment I forgot something it didn't matter.  Just collect yourself and keep on going. Here are some Long Term changes you can try to help combat your nerves.  Remember even little changes will help you to cope better.

Making Long-Term Changes

Allow yourself to really feel your nerves.

If you feel nervous frequently, try slowing down and letting yourself feel your nerves completely without a fight. Don’t put a time limit on it--instead just allow nervous feelings free rein for however long they last. You'll feel awful for a minute or so, and then all of a sudden your nerves will recede. This is an important exercise for teaching yourself that nerves are not long-term threats (as we often perceive them to be).

Unlearn nervous habits. 

Do you fidget or always bounce your leg when you're seated? Try to notice or ask someone to point out your nervous behaviours and body language. You can stop doing these behaviours by doing so intentionally, monitoring and changing the behaviour as it happens, or by giving yourself minor punishments when you do them, like snapping a rubber band on your wrist. Doing this will calm the jitters these behaviours cause, and change way people respond to you. Both of these fixes will raise your confidence in the long run.

Let go of your perfectionism. 

Oftentimes nervousness goes along with magnifying our imperfections, ignoring all that we do well, and judging our own mistakes harshly. Even if you make mistakes, rest easy knowing that everyone makes mistakes. What's more, nothing is more impressive than recovering with grace and keeping going.

Go jogging. 

Maintaining an active lifestyle is crucial for a healthy body and mind. Jogging, or any other aerobic activity will help burn off adrenalin and the nervous symptoms it produces. Regular exercise will keep you more calm day to day, reduce stress and tension, and increase energy. You can view it as a preventative measure for facing moments of great stress.

Regulate your sleep schedule. 

Even with the disruption of your nerves, try to get 7 or 8 hours of sleep per night. Compounded lack of sleep, fatigue, compromises your ability to cope with stressful situations, and you may find yourself feeling moody and unable to focus.Just as it's important to get a good night of sleep before the situation you're nervous about, good sleep reduces anxiety overall.

Learn relaxation exercises. 

Instead of trying to relax by watching television or browsing the Internet, try a deep relaxation practice that has a physical effect on the mind. For instance, deep breathing relaxes a major nerve that runs from the diaphragm to the brain, sending a message to your whole body to loosen up. These exercises are quite helpful in preparation for especially nerve-wracking situations. The following are popular methods for sustaining a relaxed lifestyle:

• Mantra Meditation
• Deep Breathing
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation
• Yoga

Start a journal.

When your brain is afraid that it won't remember something, it rehearses it over and over again.Your mind may cause nervous thoughts by bringing your focus to a worry or fear more than necessary. By writing out your thoughts, especially the ones the recur, you are releasing yourself from the responsibility of keeping them fresh in mind. A journal can act as your trash bin for the thoughts that you decide you don't want to keep around all the time, like self-defeating beliefs and judgments.

Connect with others.

Having a strong support system that you don't hesitate to use can do more than just distract you from nervousness. By talking about how you feel, you may find that people can't tell that you're nervous the way you imagine them to. Also, it can be helpful to remember that others experience nerves themselves. This means they reasonably expect nerves to come into play, especially in situations that we deem valuable and worthy of our devoted attention.
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