For me, The NZ Super Nanny, I feel a certain level of excitement when something new happens, the unfamiliar brings about new possibilities, innovative ideas and opportunities for change.
As a Social Nature, newness, variety, and surprises, create excitement within me and I feel energised to take action and experience something different.
For other natures, such as a Sensitive or Structured, not having enough details to feel secure or facts to envision the big picture, can cause debilitating anxiety.
For Strong Natures, the feeling of being stopped or stifled, can cause frustration as goals and targets can no longer be reached.
The difference between excitement and anxiety is the energy behind these feelings. One is driven by positive optimism, love and patience, and the other; a negative energy of fear - which is often dressed up as anger, resentment or guilt.
Here's a fun fact: Both excitement and anxiety are the results of cortisol and adrenaline being created in response what we perceive things. Our hearts beat faster as these stress hormones are pumped through to our bodies preparing us for action.
The difference is you, and the way you perceive things.
How you are feeling right now is self created by your own perspective.
Some people ignore these feelings. You've heard the old sayings: ‘head in the sand’ or ‘a dear in headlights’. People think; maybe if I freeze or hide, things will go back to normal, this feeling will go away and then I can be comfortable again. Others fight the feeling - trying to squash it down with food or drown it with alcohol or some other type of buffering, again seeking the cushion.
Ignoring or fighting uncomfortable feelings causes unnecessary suffering and puts us and our families at a real disadvantage.
The good news is, we all have the choice to change our perspective when we cannot change the situation we find ourselves in.
When we perceive the looming events as creative opportunities; we can change the way we feel - immediately.
It’s called emotional reappraisal, which is changing your perspective to re-interpret what's in front of you with a better story.
What do I see right now?
I see families laughing, dancing and showing kindness to others,
I see Dad’s at home building forts, bird houses and teaching life long skills,
I see business owners diving into the digital world running with their new reality,
I see leaders’ role-modeling calmness and courage.
What creative opportunities can you see and what's your family's new story?
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