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Anxiety on the GO

Pretending - July '99

Here we go again! It's off to a major trade show, a few states and a three-hour flight away. How many things can I dream up to worry about? The weather en route to and from the trade show city? The flights. The heat on the airplane. It's supposed to be 95 degrees tomorrow. What if the air circulation isn't good while the plane gets delayed in what they call the "penalty box?" What if there are thunderstorms and the flight is turbulent, or even "dangerous?" Then, once I get there, how bout those crowds at the trade show, and the congestion I'll have to deal with in the receptions? What if I get assigned to a very high floor at my hotel and what if the elevator gets stuck?

Come on, help me out! What other things can I dream up to worry about? "Worry" is my life, and "worry" is what brings on anxiety. I haven't even had time yet to worry about "what if" I get sick while I'm down there, or "what if" my presentations and my business appointments don't go well? You see, I never worry about the business. I know that once the plane gets me there in one piece, and once my nerves settle down, it will be that very same "anxiety" that will make me be very successful at the business part. I always do well with that. That's the "easy" part!

Now, here's my plan to "get through" all this. I'm going to "pretend" that I'm "someone else," perhaps one of those normal people who I'll encounter at the airport, or on the plane, or in the hotel. People without anxiety who don't worry about weather, or elevators, or delayed flights.

Okay, let's get rational! I have just looked at my "official airline guide." There are over 1.3 million flights listed in just one guide for one month. Do I realize that every one of those planes takes off and lands without incident, almost every day, of almost every year? Fantastic odds! Yes, I know what happened in Little Rock last week, but there were 23.4 million safe takeoffs and landings between such incidents!

And so what if the plane DOES go into the "penalty box" and gets put on a long delay. I'll be fine just like everyone else. I'll sip on water, stay as cool as possible, and I'll stretch if need be. The plane will eventually either take off, or move, or at the very least, go back to the gate! No plane has ever stayed in once place forever. It has never happened! Hah! I'm getting the hang of this!

And no elevator has ever been stuck forever! Never ever! And the odds that "mine" will get stuck on "this trip" are very remote in the first place. Elevators at that hotel transport hundreds of thousands of convention goers up and down the hotel every day of the year. And it will be fine!

Now if I really want to do some good "pretending," I just need to stop worrying! This is an exciting industry meeting, and I'm ready to embrace it, and have fun!

Boy, it's fun to "pretend!" Hmm.

Talk to you when I get back!

Back Home From My Trip!

1) As usual, the anticipation was much worse than anything that happened during the trip. Oh, what we do to ourselves!

2. The plane to New Orleans was un-eventful. (Thank God!) The plane ride back home was delayed one-hour due to thunderstorms but I "pretended" that it wasn't going to bother me, and the "pretending" worked quite well.

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3. My speeches and presentations went extremely well. I love it when people tell me how they "admire" how I am "so relaxed" and "so much in control." Looks like I fooled them again! LOL!

4. Biggest accomplishment: Not the speeches, not the presentations, not even the new clients. By far the biggest victory for me was that I went to a client's party in a very crowded New Orleans bar. It was jammed packed. Not only did I manage to "go," but I actually had fun! I was claustrophobic at first, but I pretended "not to be." I met lots of people, and enjoyed dancing to the disco music in a big way. Yep, I had fun!

Keep Fighting the Good Fight,

David B.

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