Before an anxiety-inducing event (such as a job interview or presentation), I’ve developed a routine to get myself in the best headspace possible. I’ll be sharing what works for me, though feel free to experiment and find what works for you!

Move

Sometimes I put on a video, but oftentimes, I move intuitively. Stuff like this helps me shift my energy:

• Shaking out my hands, feet, legs, and arms
• Making some funny faces (sticking my tongue out is fun!)
• Punching (of the air variety) of thoughts that aren’t serving me
• Putting on a song and dancing along to it

Jot down a vision for the event

I find it helpful to write down how I’d like an event to go. How I re-read it a few times to really bring in the energy of that intention. For example, before a job interview, I wrote something like this:

I get on the call with ease. I am confident and warm throughout the interview. I answer questions articulately and I form a good rapport with the interviewers. After the interview, I feel proud of myself. Universe, if this is the best for all parties involved, please help me get this job.

I’ve written several of these visions—and most of them have worked out in the way I envisioned. I haven’t gotten all the jobs I’ve interviewed for, though I truly believe what happens is for the best. I trust that everything will work out.

Trust everything will work out

I got to the last interview for a UX writer job, and it was down to me and another person. I had written visions for all my interviews in this process. And I didn’t get the job because the other candidate was a better “culture fit” (isn’t that the worst feedback?) I got a job at PayPal a couple months later, and I saw on LinkedIn that they gutted UX writers at the company that rejected me.

It’s taken several years to build this trust with the universe through affirmations and seeing things in my life all kind of work out. Certainly, I think it doesn’t always work out in the way my human mind wants it to, but I trust in the benevolent unfolding of my life, through a variety of twists and turns and detours (and some smooth roads too!)