Question Details
I am quite an anxious person and I feel a bit out of my depth. My nerves go to my stomach.
Answer
That is a totally normal feeling which, I would argue, most teachers have had in their early career. In fact, I still get that same feeling after the summer holiday every year! Using techniques such as mindfulness, yoga or simple breathing techniques such as the box breathing, can be highly effective in alleviating feelings of anxiety and stress. Every morning, before you get out of bed, close your eyes and visualise the perfect day ahead of you. Imagine your journey to school going perfectly, your morning tasks running smoothly, smiling at your co-workers, your class coming in on time, quietly, following the classroom expectations and saying ‘goodmorning’ to you before sitting and waiting to start the day. Continue like this, until you have visualised your day from start to finish, without a single hiccup. As you’re doing so, focus on breathing slowly and calmly. Don’t allow a thread of doubt to enter your mind. Then get up and start your day, expecting it to go perfectly. Do this everyday and, before you know it, you will find that each day seems to be getting smoother and easier and you are feeling more confident and relaxed about your day ahead.
