https://lifehacker.com/ease-anxiety-around-stressful-situations-by-saying-i-a-1783554808
Anxiety and Excitement Are Two Sides of the Same Coin
The core learning point is that anxiety and excitement are both high-arousal emotional states. Physiologically, they are very similar: your heart beats faster, cortisol surges, and your body prepares for action. The primary difference is our mental interpretation of these physical symptoms. Because they are so similar, it's much easier to transition from a state of anxiety to a state of excitement than it is to go from high-arousal anxiety to low-arousal calmness.
Reappraise, Don't Suppress
Trying to "calm down" when you're anxious is often ineffective and can even be counterproductive. When you focus on calming down, you're still dwelling on all the things that could go wrong. The key is to reappraise the situation and your body's reaction to it. By reframing the arousal as excitement, you shift your focus from potential threats to potential opportunities.
The "I Am Excited" Technique
The central action point is a simple but powerful self-talk technique. When you feel anxious about a stressful situation, such as public speaking or a difficult meeting, you should literally say out loud, "I am excited." This simple declaration can trick your brain into reinterpreting the physiological signals of anxiety as excitement.
- Action Point: Before a stressful event, repeat the phrase "I am excited" to yourself. This helps to reframe the narrative in your head from one of potential failure to one of potential success and opportunity.
The "Opportunity Mindset"
By reappraising anxiety as excitement, you adopt what the article calls an "opportunity mindset." This shifts your focus from the potential negative outcomes to the potential positive ones. This change in perspective not only reduces the negative impact of anxiety but can also lead to improved performance. Studies have shown that people who reframe their anxiety as excitement perform better in tasks like public speaking, math tests, and even singing.