When you're under a lot of pressure you're likely to feel a lot of things, and most of them are probably negative. Relabel those negative feelings to switch your mindset and feel more confident in taking your situation head on.
No matter the situation that's giving you pressure, the first thing is to identify how you're feeling. Take a deep breath and really think about what's going on around you. How do you feel? Now, Geoffrey James at Inc. suggests adjusting your perspective on the emotions you're feeling:
Go through the list of emotions that you identified... and assign them labels that are positive rather than negative. For example:
Fear=>Anticipation
Frustration=>Desire
Worry=>Concern
Dread=>Caution
Flustered=>Excited
Alarmed=>Curious
Pressured=>Courted
You're not changing how you feel, but you're changing what your emotion means. Instead of being afraid of your presentation, you're anticipating it. Instead of being frustrated with your work, you desire doing a good job. This adjustment switches your brain from panicky, fight or flight instinct to being aware and in control.
Use Neuroscience to Remain Calm Under Pressure | Inc.
Photo by anna gutermuth.