An author talk for Queens Public Library! Yay! I was just as excited by the opportunity, as I was honored to have my book, The Gift of Knowing You, placed on their shelves earlier this year.
To be perfectly honest, as I got closer to the presentation day, I realized my excitement was morphing into anxiety. I knew I needed to regroup. If I didn’t, this opportunity would not be the beautiful experience it was meant to be.
In the event you may be experiencing some anxious moments of your own,
Here are 3 things to remember when you’re feeling anxious.
1. STAY AWARE of your inner conversation. Focus on your cheerleader voice.
Oh, the voice within our heads. Which one do you listen to? I began to question both my presentation and my presentation abilities. I even asked myself, “How did I get myself into this?” My inner critic voice tried to take me down, but thankfully my cheerleader voice squashed the negativity.
Staying aware of our inner dialog is important.
2. STAY IN THE MOMENT!
Even though I’m a present moment fanatic, sometimes I lose my way. When the nerves and “what ifs” take over, it’s easy to fall prey to thoughts that detract from what you’re trying to accomplish, your best outcome.
Keep repeating, “
stay in the moment“. I said it to myself, out loud, and during my presentation, “
stay in the moment“.
3. DARE GREATLY
I’m so glad I read
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown. I think of her message often. It keeps me from getting stuck in protective mode and being afraid to step out of my comfort zone.
If the outcome doesn’t turn out as expected, oh well. If you happen to fall, to quote
Denzel Washington, “FALL FORWARD”.
And lastly, to all my journaling buddies! I journaled right up to minutes before my introduction! Best thing I could have done! It kept me in the present moment, contained the nerves and reinforced what I was getting ready to do; to convey the message that YOU MATTER and YOUR STORY MATTERS!
So the next time you feel your anxiety levels rising, I hope you will challenge yourself to stay aware, stay in the moment and continue to dare greatly.
Love and Light,
Joselyn
