You usually don’t think of yourself as anxious, but certain situations send your stress levels through the roof. For me, it was surgery. When I was diagnosed with cancer in 2014, (I’m fine, now), surgery was part of the plan. I knew I needed it, but after scheduling the surgery, I found myself feeling terrified and trapped.

I finally got help: a hospital proven method that helped me relax going into the procedure and heal faster. It worked so well, I became certified to help others.

Procedures like an upcoming surgery, dental procedure and events like a presentation, exam, moving or even being a witness in court, can sometimes bring on high anxiety.

Here are 3 keys to feel more ease and confidence as you move through challenging events:

1. Remember overcoming other fears. When you look back, when was another time that you dealt with a challenging event? Can you feel some of the relief or sense of triumph you felt getting through it? You have that ability now, too.

The latest scientific research reveals that there are different types of stress. Over time, threat stress, the pounding heart, racing mind that often goes with anxiety, sometimes called fight/flight, wears down your body. Challenge stress (feeling like you’re able to overcome something) is actually good for your body. It’s like going to the gym and getting stronger and more resilient.

*What you can do right now: Bring into your mind and body the feeling of being triumphant as you mastered something. Examples: you’ve run a race, lifted weights, passed an important exam, given a presentation, or for some women (not all!), given birth to a baby. What would be yours?

2. Breathe through your nose. With your mouth closed, breathe a little deeper, with gentle, smooth breaths. Mouth breathing activates fight/flight: the ‘amping up’ of your nervous system.

Blood goes to the extremities, getting you ready to fight or flee. Other systems, like digestion, shut down (ever notice when you’re really anxious, it’s hard to digest?) We’re only meant to be in fight/flight temporarily, like to run or fight if a wild animal jumped out at us. Unfortunately, with the stresses of modern life, we can be in it for days.

 If you’re constantly mouth breathing, it’s as if you’re being chased by a wild animal all day. When you’re ready to sleep, it’s harder to wind down.

 Nose breathing, on the other hand, activates the ‘rest-and-settle’ or ‘rest-and-digest’ aspect of our nervous system. This type of breathing helps you feel calmer and sleep better at night.

*What you can do right now: Start breathing through your nose throughout the day. Notice places you might go unconscious, like after talking on the phone or transitioning from one activity to another.

** If you can’t breathe through your nose, because it gets stuffed up, contact me and I’ll show you the nose-clearing technique.

3. Focus on a positive outcome. Focus on what you want, not what you don’t want. Neuroscience shows that pathways to the brain get strengthened when used more and weakened when used less (like a plant shriveling when not watered)  

Olympic athletes have known this for years. In between physical training in their sport, they’ve visualized success feeling themselves ‘in the zone’ as if they were in the actual competition. The body didn’t know the difference!

*What you can do right now: Visualize and feel the body sensations of going through your upcoming challenge with more ease and confidence. What are the sensations of accomplishment? How does that feel in your chest? In your belly?

Now, congratulate yourself. You did it!

For some of you, this may have taken the edge off.

These tools can help, a lot.

For those of you who’d like to experience deeper results that last longer, let’s talk. Schedule a free 30-minute ‘Anxiety-to-Ease’ Discovery session, where I’ll give you more personalized recommendations

*I’m introducing a pilot program:  
Situational AnxietEASE: Feel more confident facing events that trigger you. You’ll get individual and group support. Take advantage of this upcoming pilot program with a one-time greatly reduced price! There is space for only 4 people. If you’d like to apply to be one of them, let’s talk: bit.ly/ease-your-anxiety