CONGRATULATIONS!
You just took an active step toward helping yourself. Notice any increased feelings of
confidence? Enjoy them.Here’s another way to think about your writing exercise. Every area of strength and confidence you
can identify is much like having a reserve of solid gold at Fort Knox. You’ll be able to draw on your
reserves as you need them. You can use your reserves to solve difficult questions, maintain
confidence, and keep test stress and anxiety at a distance. The encouraging thing is that every time
you recognize another area of strength, succeed at coming up with a solution, or get a good score
on a test, you increase your reserves. And there is absolutely no limit to how much self-confidence
you can have or how good you can feel about yourself.
IMAGINE YOURSELF SUCCEEDING
This next little group of exercises is both physical and mental. It’s a natural follow-up to what you’ve
just accomplished with your lists.
First, get yourself into a comfortable sitting position in a quiet setting. Wear loose clothes. If you
wear glasses, take them off. Then, close your eyes and breathe in a deep, satisfying breath of air.
Really fill your lungs until your rib cage is fully expanded and you can’t take in any more. Then,
exhale the air completely. Imagine you’re blowing out a candle with your last little puff of air. Do this
two or three more times, filling your lungs to their maximum and emptying them totally. Keep your
eyes closed, comfortably but not tightly. Let your body sink deeper into the chair as you become
even more comfortable.
OCEAN DUMPING
Visualize a beautiful beach with white sand, blue skies, sparkling water, a warm sun, and
seagulls. See yourself walking on the beach, carrying a small plastic pail. Stop at a good spot
and put your worries and whatever may be bugging you into the pail. Drop it at the water’s
edge and watch it drift out to sea. When the pail is out of sight, walk on.