Something interesting happens when I ask my clients how they feel about the new opportunities they’re stepping into.
They’ll often say:
“I feel both anxious and excited.”
And they’re not sure which one is louder.
This makes total sense.
Those two feelings—anxiousness and excitement—can feel weirdly similar in the body. Heart racing. Butterflies. Buzzy energy. Sometimes even sweaty palms.
I experience this myself before speaking to large audiences. There’s energy running through me—some of it rooted in fear, some in anticipation.
Physically, they could look the same.
Mentally, they don’t.
This is how I help my clients sort through the difference between making decisions from excitement or anxiety:
Look at the thoughts that come with the feeling.
If your inner dialogue sounds like:
• What if I mess this up?
• I have to get this right.
• What if they don’t like me?
Then fear is likely at the wheel.
But if your thoughts sound more like:
• I can’t believe I get to do this.
• This really matters to me.
• I’m so proud of how far I’ve come.
That’s excitement speaking.
If you’re new to naming your emotional states (which, by the way, is a skill worth practicing), this is a simple place to begin:
1. Ask: What am I feeling?
2. Identify the thoughts fuelling it.
3. Notice the voice they’re coming from: Are the thoughts grounded in fear—or in true excitement?
The more aware you are of your emotional landscape, the more power you have to move through it—rather than be swept up by it.
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