Phew, I breathed. I was definitely not going to speak out in class. Not. A. Chance.

When Felicity joins her new school, St. Bernadette’s, she really struggles with speaking out in class. This is something she has always found hard and causes her a great deal of anxiety. She is very relieved when, during a mindfulness session, her teacher, Miss Green, tells the class they don’t have to share their ideas or speak out if they don’t want to.

Lots of us humans have things that make us extra nervous or tasks we are very uncomfortable doing. The overwhelming feeling involved with doing things we don’t like or aren’t ‘confident’ with, can cause our bodies to react in various ways, such as our breathing beginning to quicken or our hands shaking. Not a nice experience at all!

A new or unfamiliar situation, like starting a new school, can mean we have many negative feelings, many that are uncomfortable and difficult to cope with. It’s important to remember that these feelings are ‘normal’ until we have more experience of doing something or have more exposure to a situation. If you are reading this post now, have a look at who is around you. Every person we know (yes, everyone) will have had to, or will in the future, face situations they really don’t want to or that they would rather avoid. What do you find a challenge? What causes you to have those dreaded feelings in your tummy?

One thing I have always struggled with is my confidence with regards to public speaking. Strange, I know, when I am a teacher and an author who visits schools to talk about my book, but I have learnt to change the thoughts I have around these activities, which, eventually have helped me feel less stressed or nervous. I try to change my negative thoughts to ones like:

-I can do this.

-I know what I’m talking about/I am prepared.

-People will want to hear what I have to say.

-I have lots of support.

-It won’t be as hard as I imagine.

-I can ask for help if I need it.

Changing our thoughts about something can really help relieve the feelings of nervousness.

Be confident about who you are and what you can do.

You have so much to offer.

You can ask for support if you need it.

The more practice you have at something, the easier it will become.

Believe in yourself.

You are you and there’s no one quite like you-remember that.

Some day, those thoughts like Felicity’s: Not. A. Chance. will change to I’ve. Got. This.