Video transcript:
If you’re someone that’s prone to having unwanted, elevated levels of nerves before competition, here’s three ways that you can manage those.
Number one: Deep breathing. This tip sounds overly simple at times but it truly is the most effective way of counteracting the body’s stress response and bringing our energy levels back to an optimal level when our nerves are running a little too high. Not to mention, we think and process more clearly when our body and mind are calm. And there’s plenty of breathing exercises that you can do that would be really really effective, but the easiest place to start is by inhaling through the nose, feeling the belly up with air, and exhaling through the nose, repeating as many times as necessary.
Number two: Focus your attention outwards. I’ve said this before but our brains are bad at multitasking. So we are not capable of engaging with our unhelpful thoughts and what’s going on around us at the same time. Focusing our attention outward pulls us out of our heads and breaks this vicious cycle between our spiraling thoughts and nerves.
Three: Create a plan. Ask yourself: What will I do if my nerves show up? What strategies am I going to use? It does no good to hope that your nerves won’t show up because they probably will and then they’ll catch you off guard. But if you have a plan, your mindset goes from, “Oh no! Not this again!” to, “That’s okay. I’m ready for this.” If you take anything away from this, know that the best competitors in the world still experience nervousness and anxiety. They just know that it’s their body’s way of preparing them to perform their best.