“Whether we like it or not, exams is one word that stirs up various emotions and thoughts in us. From anxiety to stress and to actually falling ill.

In my sessions, here is what i regularly hear:

Stress No1: Peer Pressure: It can creep up anytime on us, when parents compare, when we compare ourselves and when we see big happy stories on Internet.

BUSTED: I know you get damn angry when parents compare and have stomped out of rooms in anger too. But, tell me isn’t it you yourself who compare yourself with your peers more than they do. Put a stop to this. If you notice that voice in your head getting into a comparison game, become aware of it, mute it in your head (after all its your voice) and move on with your task productively.
If you really have to compare, compare your old self with the new self to understand your progress.

Stress No 2: What if I don’t get Good Marks?

BUSTED: Yes, it’s a competitive system out there, but what if you focus on your OWN improvement? What if you take each stumbling block or a result like a feedback? What if you go back and learn from you result? What if you make achievable goals and go work on them? What will change for you, if you take note of the feedbacks and keep working diligently towards improvement.

Stress No.3: What if the examiner is not in a good mood while correcting my answer sheet?

BUSTED: Can you do anything about the examiners mood? I see you smiling, right? I know as well as you do, you cant, so why stress. Use this freed up energy elsewhere and remain with what you CAN Do.

Here is a technique I use often, works well for anything that shows up as a stress monster in our lives.

Make 2 columns. 1 column write Circle of Influence and in the Other Circle of Worry. Now start listing what are your stressors in the situation and start to park them in each column.

Circle of Influence: write that where YOU have the power or influence to change, alter something.

Circle of Worry: Park all your worries like mood of the examiner, tough paper etc; something over which you do NOT have any influence in this column.

And then look at it closely. And for those that you have power use that power and move on. For the other column, just let it Go. You cant control everything. Not even your eye blinks. How can you control so much else? Free yourself from the clutches of what is not under your control. And SMILE.”

If you want to consult me personally, call at 9818464420