As I was polishing my boots and cleaning my tack, the nausea was taking over, the debilitating fear was building and building fast. Here I was, paying thousands of dollars to compete, and feeling like it was a disaster of epic proportions. Like many of you, when my mind spiraled into a whirlwind of anxiety, it felt like everything was working against me.
I believe we can harness that very energy and transform it into a force that propels us forward. It starts with understanding our body's response and learning how to manage our response to turn those nerves into your biggest ally.
In our latest podcast episode, "Nervous System Takeover" we explored the fascinating connection between physical sensations and mental states. We discussed how tension in the body fuels anxiety in the mind, the similarities between excitement and nervousness, and how "what ifs" can trigger shallow breathing and a freeze response. This blog post delves deeper into these concepts, offering practical tips to help you master your mind and harness anxiety as a powerful tool.
Understanding the Nervous System
- Flight, Fight, or Freeze Response: We are no different than our horses in so many ways. When our anxiety starts to build, we may just want to run away, push through anyway, or just stay stuck. This is our cue to do something different. It is time to take some deep breaths, reframe the situation into something positive, and bring us back to enjoying what we are doing, right now in this moment, just like we would do with our horses.
Turning Anxiety into Excitement
- Reframing Nervousness: We can change the feelings of stress and anxiety, to feelings of excitement, just like when we were little and found out we were going to Disneyland. Our mind can reinterpret nerves into excitement. Think about the trigger of anxiety and find one thing you look forward to. Close your eyes and visualize growing bigger, filling you up, and replacing the anxiety—until you can feel the excitement taking over.
The Power of Awareness
- Identifying Triggers: I love this one. It is so simple and very powerful. When you think about what causes you anxiety, figure out the very first thought that you have that starts that anxiety building. That is the trigger. Reframe that very first step. Example: When my horse lifts her head, that was my trigger thinking she would rear. I reframed it so that when she lifts her head, she is being curious, and I can play with her curiosity. It felt so much better to think of the reframe and I have enjoyed her lifting her head since then.
By understanding your nervous system and learning to manage your body's response, you can transform anxiety into a powerful ally. Instead of letting your nerves control you, harness that energy to propel you forward and achieve your goals. To really get some help with transforming your anxiety, I would love to chat with you about our Courage Coaching program which will walk you through each step. Schedule here!
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