Have you noticed that often when there is a new event coming up, you may be very, very scared. You may have many thoughts about all the bad things that could happen. Your anxiety may be so profound that you cannot enjoy what is currently going on because you are so fearful of what may happen? And then, when that event actually takes place, most of the time it is not nearly as scary as you had feared? Have you ever thought, “That was a waste of energy to have put so much anxiety out for something that never really happened?”

This is a common experience that many have. One reason that we may do this is that it allows us to rehearse different scenarios so that we are prepared, no matter what happens. This can be useful, but not with this level of anxiety.

What can you do to change the level of anxiety? First, if you have gone through something similar, you can remind yourself that you have survived this before! You can remind yourself of all that you learned from the previous experience so that this time you can do it even better. Second, you can remind yourself that things are rarely as bad as you might have imagined that they would be. Third, you can educate and prepare yourself. The more knowledge that you have, the better chance of success. And the less fear!

So, go do new things, knowing that some of them will be scary. But trust in yourself! You got this!