Brooke
How can I stop being so nervous and anxious about my future?
I'm so scared about my future, both educational-wise and financial-wise. Any advice on calming down? #anxiety #college #future
9 answers
Michael George
Michael’s Answer
Hello Brooke, I'm surprised no one has responded yet to your question! My 4 successful adult children and I and wife experience the same; and I can tell you that your anxiety is not uncommon and a good indication you have the basics to be successful.
Being concerned about your future is a good basic motivator needed to plan for success and it may never go away; So learn that it's your indicator that you need to learn something and need help.
In this case, if you have anxiety about education and finances, learn what type of education you need or should pursue, what finances are needed, what are sources for financial assistance in college, what are wages after college.
Your anxiety is generally because of the 'unknown' ... so 'know' ... it's not about the finances or education, but what to do regarding your finances or education. You will do great; asking this question is your first step.
Michael recommends the following next steps:
Angelica Kennedy, BFA, MEd, MA
Angelica’s Answer
Hello Brooke,
Thank you for asking this question. As a seasoned professional myself I struggle with this question even now. It is a question that you will ask yourself throughout your life especially as you make tough decisions.
You are stronger than you know. I have learned to trust my heart. But what if I make the wrong decision you may ask. That question always makes the decision even tougher. I believe, as long as you go with your heart you will be at peace. As long as you are doing something that is for the greater good of the world and your community you are going in the right direction.
Practically, it helps to have someone who has walked where you want to go. That person will give you their wisdom and experience but you are the only one who can decide on what path to go.
I pray this helps you.
Angelica recommends the following next steps:
Krystian Ruiz
Krystian’s Answer
Hi Brooke,
This is a question everyone has at some point in their life. You are not alone. It is always important to look at yourself and ask "am I happy". A piece of advice one of my mentors had given me is, "dont waste your imagination worrying". If you would like a first step into a new direction one thing to do is find a mentor and don't be afraid to ask for help. You will find many professionals want the new generation to succeed and are more than willing to help a motivated individual.
Krystian recommends the following next steps:
Simeon Snow
Simeon’s Answer
Ana Cristina Villacis
Ana Cristina’s Answer
Hi Brooke, you are not alone in this one. We all have been through the same feelings and thoughts. You just have to do things right with honesty and love. You know what you are good at so use that to see yourself in the future. What would you like to be? What is your dream job? You have to go step by step. There is a time for everything. Now, you have to pick a career, then apply for internships, masters, job, etc. With the help of your teachers, family and friends you'll have a proper advice. But remember, step by step. Everything will be fine.
Ajay Kumar
Ajay’s Answer
First of all lets be clear that Anxiety is not a disorder and same is the case with depression as well. Its just that if you are suffering from any of these take help from others. Talk to others and open up about the thoughts that you have in your mind. Think of the day that you are living in.Dont think about future. If you get stuck with negative thoughts think about the things that keep you happy..Reading books..Listening to Music..Watching your favourite show. Keep yourself busy..Remember its just a phase and when you come out of it ..you will be STRONGER.
Ignacio Pedraza
Ignacio’s Answer
College and most importantly adulting can be scary. You're not alone! I've been in your shoes, and to some extend I still am. I graduated from college like 1 year ago and to this moment in my life I have so many doors open on to what I want to do with my career. I even have the option to do a Master's in different subfields. Anyways, my advice to you is take it slow, and plan things out accordingly. If you're barely starting your college career then you have enough time to explore your options for at least two years. Most people just tell you that you have two years to declare a major, but they don't really tell you that within those two years you're pretty much taking general educational courses that are required in order for you to graduate. With that being said you will be able to explore different routes because you will be taking courses of the things that interest you. So it is good to start thinking about things that you like and usually what I would do is write them down on a notebook. Now financial-wise that can depend on your situation. Whatever the reason it is that is making your anxious the first step is to calm down, take a deep breath, and again plan things out accordingly. We have the internet to do a lot of research, but if you feel like that doesn't help then ask friends around or even teachers and counselors in your school ask them how did they do it to pay for their college. Most likely you will get different answers because again people come from different backgrounds and situations. When asking I would suggest to take notes of any important key points your teachers, friends, or counselors tells you. But overall, try to rely on others for help and don't be afraid to ask as many questions as you'd like. You will accomplish this, but you have to plan things out and do things step-by-step and you will see things will eventually fall into place. I hope my advice helps you and best of luck!
N T
N’s Answer
Plus, every problem does have a solution. Some solutions are more challenging than others, but whether you are stressing due to educational reasons or financial reasons, just know that we all went through that and stressed through similar situations, and a few years later today, we already forgot about those stressful times and have moved on to other topics. In the grand scheme of things, some problems that may appear huge to you right now, may not be as large as you think down the line.
Danielle Kucera
Danielle’s Answer
Hi Brooke!
First, know that everyone else feels the same way. Because of that, talking to friends or people you work with can be a great way to de-stress. Don't be afraid to bring it up in conversation – a simple "do you ever feel nervous about what's next in your career?"
There's a common phrase called "fake it 'til you make it," which helps me when I'm feeling especially nervous. You'll always be around people who seem to have more confidence than you do, but often they don't feel as confident as they look. That's why talking can be helpful – you'll learn that even the people who seem the most confident around you are just as nervous as you are. I'd also seek out mentors and ask them how they built their careers, so that you're equipped with real steps you can take to plan out what's next.
Most professionals will never be 100% confident (and that's good, because that bit of fear and lack of knowledge keeps you working to learn more), but we all have to learn how to act confident. Weirdly, that's half the game :).