Anxiety can be so restrictive. I know from personal experience, if I used to let anxiety win, I would spend my day doubting myself - Alas! I have a few ways where I can push through. So here is part 1 of the ways I get through anxiety, that I believe will support you and your NCEA work performance.
Tip #1 Acknowledge you have anxiety.
There's value in acknowledging things in your life. Letting yourself and others know how you are feeling and what you are experiencing is great for the soul. You may find, too, that there are more students out there with anxiety than you think. You may find sharing your truth might encourage other teens to speak up, as well.
With the isolation(s) from COVID19 and many other life experiences, there are reasons people are unsettled and traumatised. Coping with things that are unexpected can cause shock and/or an unsettling feeling within your body, as well. These feelings can increase your usual nervous tendencies. Although, there's a way through it. I find the more I talk about my own anxieties and let those I care about know when I am experiencing it, the more likely I come to terms with it. I also don't feel so embarrassed or ashamed that I have anxiety or feel so conflicted about a situation I have to undergo.
One of the most promising bits of information I received about anxiety really put me in a different frame of mind. Here's what it was:
Anxiety is my body's way of showing me it is upset. It is alarming me that I am not comfortable with a situation that is similar to something I have experienced before.
Have you ever felt nervous to hang out with a group of friends or go to the dentist? There might be a reason behind it that your body is trying to communicate to you through alarm bells. For instance, if you are nervous to go to the dentist, it is likely you have heard the treatment is painful or that you have experienced that before. So, your body reminds you by experiencing anxiety.
For me, when I was a teenager, I would go on outings with my friends and just when things were running smoothly and I was laughing and joking around, a group of school bullies would show up out of nowhere and try to harm me (emotionally and/or physically). I remember having to leave through the back entrance of a cafe once, this was so that I wouldn't be confronted by them as they were waiting out the front of the cafe ready to intimidate me. Outings always gave me anxiety as a teenager.
Anxiety is my body's way of showing me it is upset. It is alarming me that I am not comfortable with a situation that is similar to something I have experienced before.
My body from that point on would alert me and make me feel nervous about going on outings with my friends. Although, these days, I know I am safe and healthy, and the people I am around are wonderful and caring, so I have accepted that I think, "yes, my body will give me a little alarm, but I know there is nothing to be concerned about", and the anxiety fizzles. I also doubt I'll ever bump into any of my childhood bullies, and even if that did happen, there wouldn't be any concerns for my safety at all. However, my body has been programmed to believe that I should be alert anyway. So, over the years, I learned how to treat this alarming feeling I used to have, and I may on occasion feel a bit unsettled about going out sometimes, but I know deep down, all it is, is my body trying to tell me that I'm following a pattern that it didn't like once, and that I need to be mindful of that. Really, anxiety is quite a lovely thing to have. My body is protecting me and guiding me to make safe decisions. So, I appreciate that I have anxiety.
My body is protecting me and guiding me to make safe decisions. So, I appreciate that I have anxiety.
How is acknowledging you have anxiety an NCEA hack?
It all comes down to confidence and knowing who you really are, within. You've got through your school life up until this point, so why would you suddenly stop being capable of succeeding?
When you next feel anxious to perform a task, stop and think about why you might be nervous. Could it be that you are really wanting to do well because you've put a lot of time into your work? Could it be because someone was mean to you about it earlier? Could it be that you have never experienced it before and have seen other people fail doing it in a movie?
Whatever the cause for your anxieties, try to identify why you are feeling this way and talk to others about how you can ease the reaction from your body (in particular, professionals like teachers and counsellors can support you with your NCEA woes). Maybe they can help you align the feeling with the likelihood of your fears coming true or not. Let me know in the comments what things are holding you back, maybe I can help boost your confidence and get you back on track.
There is a bright light out there and it shines a common fact: With more confidence and belief in yourself, the more likely you are to reach your potential. A person who is certain of who they are and what they are capable of, educationally, is an unstoppable force in terms of their NCEA results. They will set goals, take risks and develop their ideas with pride.
All the best with your NCEA exams this year. Remember, our qualified teachers know how to manage anxiety and will support you through your NCEA journey. We are here to provide NCEA tutorials to support your NCEA studies, when you need them.
If you would like to know more about me as a teacher and online tutor, you can learn more by reading this blog:
If you would like support finding the right online tutor, you can learn more by reading this blog:
Time, Experience, Mannakitanga.
Tovah O'Neill
Tovah's Tutoring Company Ltd.
info@tovahstutoring.co.nz
Mobile
0274530411
Website
www.tovahstutoring.co.nz
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