When everything starts to go wrong, our ability to control is put to the test. It is easy to be guided by anxiety, but it prevents us from thinking clearly.
Last update: 05 March, 2020
It is not easy to maintain self-control when we are under pressure, especially if everything seems to conspire to get us mad. If there are days when everything goes wrong, making them go the right way is a matter of attitude.
It is precisely when everything starts to go wrong that our ability to control is put to the test. It is easy to be guided by anxiety, but this anxiety prevents us from thinking clearly and to solve the challenge we face.
We can deal with these moments using simple strategies and prevent what goes wrong from getting worse. These are concrete actions that make the difference between managing a situation or letting it get complicated and get out of control. Here are some techniques to use when chaos seems to be taking over.
“In the final races of the season, it is not just the performance and performance of the car that counts. He also counts the psychology of the rider, the pressure and how much he is able to bear it. "
– Alain Prost –
The 5 strategies to maintain self-control even under pressure
1. Pay attention to the words
Language and thought always go together: one is a consequence of the other. For this reason it is important to know how to adapt the language to the situation. This automatically shapes thought and turns it in our favor.
To maintain self-control when we are under stress, it is important to describe the situation as accurately and realistically as possible. In other words, it is better not to give free rein to that catastrophic language that comes spontaneously when we are prey to anxiety or anguish.
Some think they let off steam by saying "I'm never okay with one!". They are actually wrong. Expressions like this only add to the malaise. That is why it is necessary to carefully choose the words with which we structure our thoughts in moments of great pressure.
2. Balance the body to maintain self-control
Stressful situations cause a series of changes in the body, negatively affecting the functioning of organs. One of the strategies for maintaining control consists in regulating the body.
First of all, however, we must become familiar with how our organism works under normal conditions. It is therefore important to know the rhythm of our heart, our sweating or the sensation that our muscles send us.
In this way we will be able to identify any variation. This awareness helps us to bring the body back to a normal situation, especially if we help ourselves with breathing exercises.
3. Activate positive thoughts
Self-control largely depends on the perspective we adopt and the elements that exert pressure. If the modality we assume is "poor wretch", the situation will soon take on the contours of torture.
If we convert our thoughts, we have a better chance of getting out of the negative spiral. Every situation carries something within itself. The purpose of this exercise is to find out how much favorable can be hidden behind a situation that generates so much pressure.
Often what is immediately easy does not teach much. Conversely, complications can feed the psyche. Or they simply teach us to be more patient and challenge our ability to control. This is already, in itself, a beautiful achievement.
4. Projecting ourselves towards the new
We devote little energy to processing past events. Not only the great events that change life, but also the small daily experiences that shape it.
When we get into the habit of dedicating some time to analysis, we realize what adversity has taught us. It is also likely that we will find there the confidence to face similar challenges.
"Doing homework" in this sense helps us to better set ourselves in situations of pressure or crisis. Let's try to feel how the knot we are facing can help us grow. We increase the ability to be permeable to what the course of events can teach us.
5. Make constructive comparisons
When faced with a situation that tests our patience, it is wise to refer to past experiences. It is about making a constructive comparison, with the aim of applying what we have already learned in similar situations.
This strategy is particularly useful when the situation appears very difficult to us and the mind makes a "recovery attempt" while remaining blank. Or when we feel very fatigued and feel a sense of helplessness. In these cases, the ideal is to use what we learned yesterday to solve today's problem.
As you can see, attitude counts in all strategies for maintaining self-control. We avoid leaving the command to what threatens us. Instead, let's get ready to see the problem as a challenge, a constructive experience.
