A provocative new study suggests that rather than trying to calm down, you may be better off embracing your nerves and getting excited.
“When you feel anxious, you’re ruminating too much and focusing on potential threats,” study author Dr. Alison Wood Brooks, assistant professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, said in a written statement. “In those circumstances, people should try to focus on the potential opportunities. It really does pay to be positive, and people should say they are excited. Even if they don’t believe it at first, saying ‘I’m excited’ out loud increases authentic feelings of excitement.”