How on earth Am I going to get through this?!
Whether we’re male, female, young, middle-aged or old, we all face instances of performance anxiety. The phrase performance anxiety usually conjures up the flaccid workings of male organs. It can also illustrate the flaccid workings of a mind that doesn’t believe it’s able to rise to the task at hand.
We’ve all faced some form of anxiety when we’re put in any situation where we feel the need to perform. It doesn’t really matter what we’re aiming to achieve either. Performance anxiety can appear whenever we have to make a good impression on people whose opinions matters to us. We may have the need to impress those who have the power to say yes, or no, to our dreams.
Something to prove
Perhaps we’ve bragged excessively about our ahem, abilities, and now the time has come to prove ourselves. The anxiety we feel in those moments, is based on a core feeling of not-quite-good-enough. It is this feeling we must address in order to rise above our performance anxiety.
We rise above it by knowing that we are indeed in the right place at the right time. There’s a need to accept that we’re on the right path, doing the right thing, for the right reasons, in that moment. It’s okay to trust in ourselves and take the steps that we (sometimes illogically) feel guided to take.
It may require stepping out of the safety of our comfort zones and allowing ourselves to be intuitively guided. Guided towards the perfect opportunities, clients, modalities, creative expressions, training or mentors, as needed.
There is no part of our lives or any life situation, that cannot be improved by stepping into a space of awareness (who we are beyond our personalities.) For when we’re in that space, then performance anxiety or indeed any anxiety, has to take a back seat.
Awareness is the key
You see awareness doesn’t know how to play small. It doesn’t understand, I’m not worthy. Awareness cannot compute, what if I fail? It doesn’t entertain, I’m not good enough. This part of us knows that whatever we truly need to step up into our greatness is available to us right now.
If we can’t tap into awareness at that moment, then we’re being guided to the right people to help us. We’re guided to receive exactly what we feel we need, to be more confident in our abilities. Synchronicities come with greater awareness. Because of this we discover that any challenges we’re facing are opportunities to allow awareness to do its thing.
So if you are facing performance anxiety right now, or in the near future, take heart. All is well. Check in with yourself and feel into the experience with deeper awareness. Is what you’re hoping to express right now the perfect expression for you at this time? Is the direction you’re hoping to take, the right direction for you at this time?
Step into the space of awareness and allow this energy to take the reins, and you’ll be just fine. Even if you’re not, you’ will have learned a lot and be fine the next time. Trust, allow, and get out of your own way! This is the mantra for all those lost in the fear of any performance anxiety or indeed any, anxiety, attack.
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This story has been republished to Medium.
Photo by Ahmad Odeh on Unsplash