Do you need a pep talk? Do you need to work up the nerve to make a big change, head outside your comfort zone, or say something really important? Are you in the midst of doing something new and exciting, but in your head, you’re “faking it until you make it”?
If you’re the kind of person who can pick up the phone and call on one of your supporters, call someone on your team and say, “I need a pep talk!”
If that’s not your style, you can give yourself a compelling pep talk, using information you already have.
When was the last time you were brave?
Conjure the experience in detail: where were you, who were you with, what did you say, what did you do? You can either write this out, or just get comfortable in your chair and think about it.
How do you feel recalling it? Do you feel your posture get better and your chest expanding?
Now, think of four other recent experiences where you were brave. Picture each example like it’s the first scene of any movie: lots of detail to grab on to and a reason to immediately root for our hero.
…Now, what was it that you thought you couldn’t do before? It feels way more within your reach now, right?
In the same way that practicing self-care is powerful because we develop the ability to soothe ourselves in times of duress and discomfort, being able to give yourself a pep talk—one that is rooted in recent examples of your capabilities—is power. We all feel shaky from time to time, but if you have the skills to make yourself feel strong and powerful when you need it, that’s a really valuable life tool to have.