70 • happiful.com • September 2019
“Actions and how we construe
situations can have an impact
on our hormonal profile. So
perceiving a situation as difficult
and threat-inducing will ultimately
make it difficult and threat-
inducing.”
Confronting someone about
taking credit for your work can
feel like a threat because you
anticipate a negative response.
This can lead to increased cortisol
levels, which can trigger the ‘fight
or flight’ response – that comes
with unhelpful physical symptoms
such as sweating, increased heart
rate, and muscle tension. The
problem here is that we lose our
ability to think, and are overcome
by physical reactions.
The good news is that there
are practical ways to dampen
this limbic response, and they’re
pretty simple. Laughter is a proven
way to lower cortisol levels, as
is a talk with a trusted friend. So
before you head into a difficult
conversation, phone your funniest
pal for some reassurance. You
can also encourage an optimal
hormone balance with 30 minutes
of moderate exercise and power
posing.rewards. So acknowledge that
you’re more likely to remember
the times you’ve failed than the
times you’ve succeeded. This is a
good reminder to yourself before
going into a meeting. It’s natural
to feel unqualified, because we’re
always thinking about the times
we fell short, instead of the times
we did well. Normalising this
sense of feeling unworthy can help
you really focus on all the great
attributes you bring to the table.”Try putting yourself in someone
else’s shoes and draw on their
natural confidence. Choose a role
model who you believe would
handle the situation effectively
(think Beyoncé or Batman) and
channel their energy. Ask yourself:
‘How would they walk into a room?
How would they sell themselves
effectively in order to get this pay
rise?’ This can quickly get you
into the headspace of feeling in
control, instead of under threat.Scenario two: You want a pay riseMoney is a source of anxiety
for many of us, and asking for
more of it can be terrifying. We
instinctively assume that the
answer will be no, because we
don’t deserve it. Kirsty says that
this train of thought is totally
normal, and that being aware of
that fact can be helpful.
“We hardwire negative beliefs,
and remember threats more thanWe hardwire negative
beliefs, and remember
threats more than
rewards