Nervous About a New Job or Project? 7 Ways to Calm Down.

A woman nervous about a new project at work, full of worries and fear, meditating, mindfully breathing and calming down.

We've all felt it: the butterflies in our stomachs, the light headaches, the short breathing, the slight body trembles and shivers down the spine because of nervousness and pressure. Feeling nervous is a natural part of our lives that often comes before having an important interview or meeting, speaking in public, rushing to meet a deadline or handling a conflict.

These feelings are normal and they are not necessarily a bad thing. They can be upsetting but they don't have to overwhelm us.

In this article we'll explore what happens to our bodies when nervousness creeps in, the benefits of calming down and 9 tricks that we can use to get a hold of ourselves. ] Article content:

What really is nervousness? What happens in our bodies when we get nervous?

All feelings have their resonance in our body - in fact, as one of our mindfulness teachers explains - we call them feelings because quite literally we can feel their imprint inside our very alive organism. For example, when we feel nervous, our bodies signal us that they have gone into stress mode, also known as fight-or-flight-mode. Nervousness shows up differently for each of us. We might feel one or more of the following (or other symptoms):

• Breathing that is irregular, shallow and quicker.

• Increased heart rate.

• Increased sweating.

• Trembling or shaking.

• Feelings of nausea or discomfort in your gut.

• Inability to go to the restroom.

• Dry mouth or overproduction of saliva.

It's important to realize that these sensations are very normal - those are just our bodies and brains trying to recalibrate with the new information and danger that they perceive we are facing. They are trying their best to help us find a way out of a challenging situation. The way they do that can have both positive and negative consequences for us.

The positive and negative sides of nervousness.

The Positive Effects:

On the bright side, getting nervous can help a lot of us get work done: we might push distractions aside, do the work to meet that deadline, practice interview questions, improve our resume or write the article we have been postponing for a while. A little bit of positive stress, anxiety and nervousness can help to prepare us to deal with threats better, perform better, and even motivate us.

The Negative Effects:

Still, because nervousness activates fight or flight, too much nervousness or too intense forms of nervousness can diminish the work of the prefrontal cortex and our emotional center can get dysregulated. Because our bodies and brains believe we are in danger they shut down the higher thinking (prefrontal cortex) and empathic centers of the brain, and put all their energy in managing the threat.

That can be why sometimes get stuck in a task because we are overly nervous - even if we are perfectly capable of solving or executing it normally. We also tend o make more mistakes or take longer to complete it. It is is also why we might have a hard time being able to empathetically and compassionately respond - we get so nervous that instead of people present with the other person, we remain stuck. At such time, it can be really helpful to surround ourselves with people who can co-regulate with us and help us find our ground and calm.

The benefits of learning to be aware of and handle nervousness well

How can just being aware of nervousness help us?

Simply being aware of the fact that we are nervous, and accepting that without judgement - without trying to push away or fight the nervousness - but meet ourselves where we are, as we are, can do absolute wonders.

Imagine how much calmer the overall state of your life would be, if instead of being taken away by nervousness and spinning into stories created by it, or spending extra energy in pretending you are not nervous, you could acknowledge: "Oh, nervousness is here. I am feeling a little frazzled and shaky". Or, perhaps, instead of following that recowith judgements and negative stories about yourself, you could simply be with the feeling "Where do I feel the nervousness in my body? Could I maybe breathe into that nervousness? What can help me to ground and calm down right now?"

Below you can find 9 ways to calm down your nerves when you need it, but before that here are some more of the long-term health benefits of staying calmer.

When we handle nervousness well, it can positively impact not only how we meet ourselves in our moments but improve positively important aspects of our lives:

1. Improved blood pressure Stressful situation and high levels of nervousness can cause huge spikes in our blood pressure. We want to bring that spike back to a calmer state in order to maintain healthy blood pressure, which is vital for cardiovascular health.
   

2. Better emotional health Regulating nervousness can mean fewer mood swings, prevent or lower the levels of persistent anxiety, improve general life satistaction. We are better prepared to handle life challenges when our nervous system isn not constantly on high alert.
   

3. Improved brain function and health When our nervousness is under control, our brains function better. We can think more clearly, our memory improves, we have better decision-making skills and more power for creativity and innovation.
   

4. Increased attention span Our attention span an ability to stay focused greatly increase, when we have our stressors and nervousness under control.
   

5. Improved performance When nervousness is not driving, we are much more likely to be efficient, productive, present and perform better - both at work and in our personal lives.
   

6. Decreased risk of certain diseases Chronic stress and a dysregulated nervous system are contributing factors to a plethora of serous health issues.
   

7. Better sleep

Being nervous can negatively impact our sleep. When we are calmer, it is easier to fall asleep, stay asleep, wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

7 ways to calm down when nervousness takes over.

1. Step One: Acknowledge how you are feeling - without fixing or changing it. Allow yourself to mindfully check in, label and acknowledge that you are feeling nervous and just calmly say that to yourself a few times. Scientists have proven that when we label how we are feeling (without getting into the stories of why or in catastrophic scenarios) it gives us a sense of control and calms us down. Our brains have already recognized "the danger" and can begin to calculate and design the best strategies for handing it. Most of our stress, very often, is doubled by the secondary stress we experience - which is our stress for the stress. So, if we take our neurotic reactions to nervousness out of the equation ("I can't believe I am so nervous, I am so...") the problem is more manageable. Once you have the secondary stress under control, you can use one of the next strategies to calm down and afterwards make a plan for how to handle the challenge.
   

2. Breathe Mindful breathing exercises are a very effective and immediate way to calm your mind. The concept is to bring all of your focus to your breath. Take slow, deep breaths: keeping your attention entirely on your breathing - inhale through the nose and exhale through the nose. Stay with the breathing for the entire duration of an in-breath and an out-breath. Follow the sensations of each breathing cycle and come back to them each time the mind wanders. If you feel like you need more guidance, do the following. Set a timer for 2-5 minutes. Inhale for the count of 4 and exhale for the same count of 4. Breathing in this even and balanced pace will help to rebalance your nervous system and ground you.
   

3. Ground yourself There is a reason why we say "I lost the ground under my feet", when we get nervous and shaken up. The good news is that in those moments we can use the somatic experience in our bodies to make things better. Whether you’re sitting or standing, press your feet down firmly and feel the ground beneath you for an immediate connection to the present moment and the space you’re in. You can even turn it into a little game. Here is how to do it: 1) Feel your feet on the ground. 2) Stomp or step firmly on the ground a few times, like you are a very big bear. Feel your entire weight be held by the ground. 3) Next, make your feet very light. Imagine that your feet are feathers and you are just gently stroking the earth with them. 4) Try lifting your toes one by one and then placing them one by one. 5) Resettle with balance. Rock a little bit - side to side, back to back and a few circle rocks.
   

4. Move it. Doing deliberate movement that resets your body can help you get out of automatic pilot, come back to the senses and release nervousness. How to do it? You can do your favorite stretches or ask your body what it needs. If you are not sure, you can try this routine. 3 Min Daily Reset: 1) Get as still as you can. Take a deep breath in as you lift the arms up and slowly exhale and bring the arms down. Repeat two more times. 2) Move your head from side to side - looking from left to right. Repeat 2 more times to each side. 3) Move your head up and down. Repeat 2 more times. 4) Bring your ear to your shoulder. Repeat 2 more times 5) Raise your shoulders up and down slowly, 3 times in total. 6) If you can, inhale as you raise your arms up one more time, while also going on your tip toes. Hold your breathe and tense everything. Then, on the exhale release everything - bring the arms and legs down. 7) Place your hands on your belly and take 3 breaths - feeling the arms move the belly up on an inhale and releasing the stress and belly on the exhale.
   

5. Repeat a calming affirmation One of the quickest ways to calm ourselves down is by using a strong calming affirmation. Similarly to how prayers or repetition works, repeating the affirmation by putting all our focus in it can snap us out of automatic pilot and activate the relaxation response of the body. How to do it: 1) Pause what you're doing. 2) Take an inhale. 3) On the exhale can repeat the following affirmation "I am calm" or just the word "Calm" silently or out loud. Focus your attention entirely on the sound of the words, their reverberations in the body. (You can modify with a diffrent soothing word or affirmation that you prefer). 4) Repeat 10 times. It is best if you can continue the repetition for 5 minutes.
   

6. Do a Quick Body Scan We can use a centering body scan to calm ourselves down. Going back to the body can be incredibly powerful because we step out of automatic pilot and work directly with the body and the nervous system. Instead of rationalizing and thinking things through, we first ground the body and from a calmer and relaxed place, How to do it: Step 1: Get Comfortable Step 2: Focus on Your Breath Step 3: Body Scan from Head to Toe Step 4: Complete the Scan Step 5: Return to Your Day
   

• Sit upright in your chair with your feet flat on the floor.

• Rest your hands on your lap.

• Let your entire body get very comfortable and relax fully.
  

1. Visualize Yourself Calm This is a tricky one because its success would really depend on our learning style. For people who struggle with vizualizations, this is probably not the bst technique. But if you have a vivid and strong visualization skills, it can be really helpful. Our brains don't know the difference between reality and imagination. When we imagine ourselves calm, we can trigger the same brain response and hormones in our blood. Eventually, if we do that Here is how to do it: 1) Pause what you are doing and sit or stand comfortably. 2) Take a few deep breaths. 3) Picture yourself being very calm or being in your safest place ever. Really imagine how the safe place looks like, smells, feels. Imagine your body being completely relaxed and at ease - from head to toe. By creating a mental picture of what it looks like to stay calm, we can refer back to that image easier when we are anxious. When we really imagine our bodies being calm or being in a calm and safe place, our brains begin to produce the same chemicals and hormones, as though that is our reality. Tapping into the immense powers of our imagination and using it consciously can help us to stay in control and more centered, instead of losing our nerves.

Remember, it's normal to feel nervous - but you can choose how you'd like to respond to it, so it doesn't drain and overwhelm you, and you can handle the new challenges with greater strength, focus, productivity and creativity,

Did you find these tips and techniques helpful? You can read more here about the nervous system's stress response and how to bring it back to balance.

A person with a burnt out nervous system calming down