4 Tips for Preparing Yourself for Any “First”
One thing every single human being on the planet has in common is enduring many “firsts” throughout their life. Most of the time, new activities invoke stress and anxiety. Sometimes excitement is thrown into the mix of emotions if it’s a fun activity. However, many people feel fear, whether it’s something good like a first date or something unpleasant like taking a final exam. Good or bad, the key to not only surviving new experiences but flourishing is to know how to navigate these firsts with as little anxiety as possible. Whether the first day on a brand new job or a first solo car ride, firsts can be memorable. Here are some tips for making your first time doing anything a positive adventure.
1. Don’t Expect Perfection
The first thing to recognize is that you may know the process when you have never done something, but you don’t have any first-hand experience physically doing it. It’s very likely that you’re not going to be great at it in the beginning. For example, if you want a motorcycle but you’ve never driven one, you’re going to have to learn. It takes some practice. First, you’ll need to prepare by getting insurance quotes, taking riding lessons and finally testing for your motorcycle license.
Whatever it is you want to do, very few people show exceptional abilities on the initial go-round. If you expect perfection the first time, or even the first few times, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Plus, when you can relax and take the activity in stride, you have more chance of honing your skills faster. When you take this approach, you’ll avoid overthinking, trying too hard and putting undue pressure on yourself. You’ll more naturally seize your success. Strive for excellence and do your very best. Your best is all you can ask of yourself.
2. Don’t Focus on the Opinions of Others
Much of the anxiety that occurs with new experiences is the fear of what other people will think of you. Everyone has been there and will continue having firsts throughout their life. Many people have been in your exact same situation at one point, and they can empathize with the struggle. You’ll probably find that most people are too involved in their own worries about themselves to pay attention to the amount of someone else’s proficiency.
Usually, you’re not in a position where other people’s opinions determine the outcome of your life. Most of the time, you’re going to perform a lot better if you entirely focus on your performance rather than comparing yourself to others. After all, it’s impossible to do any better than your best. But, you can work on improving your performance over time.
3. Don’t Stress About Taking Extra Time
As a newbie, there are many situations where you’re going to be slow. You might be slow for a while if something complicated like learning an instrument or dance moves. Going slow will help you thoroughly absorb the complexities. If it feels very time-consuming, just recognize that the more time you put into it, the more you’re learning. It’s going to keep getting easier with practice. Take your time and go at your own pace. Try to soak up as much knowledge as possible during the process.
4. Don’t Go Emptyhanded
Most of the time, you’ll know ahead of time that you’re going to be doing something new. Therefore, you’ll have some time to prepare for the situation. Some preparation and planning will give you more control over the circumstances. It should also grant you added self-confidence.
Going through experiences for the first time can be scary and overwhelming. Just focus on getting through the first time, and it’ll be easier going forward. Then, you’ll know what to expect, and you’ll realize you probably did better than you expected, especially given your apprehension the first time. You’ll be an old pro in no time.
