Anxiety, Your High Octane Performance Fuel

“I'm so nervous, I could throw up. This is awful. I'm shaking with anxiety. My mind is all over the place. I hate this I hate this I hate this.”

“I'm so excited, I have butterflies in my stomach. This is amazing. I'm electrified with anticipation. My heart is bursting with joy. I love this I love this I love this!”

These two scenarios are the same. How can that be? They're polar opposites, aren't they? To your brain, they might seem that way, but what about your nervous system? Nope - they feel the same. 

Anxiety or Excitement? Your Brain Might Not Know the Difference

At Brick & Bridge Communications, we spend a lot of time helping Alberta folks show up - on camera, on social media, in meetings, and in moments that matter. And if there’s one thing nearly everyone experiences before those moments, it’s that universally familiar surge of nerves.

But here’s the twist: what if those nerves aren’t a problem to fix…but energy you can use?

The Science Behind the Feeling

According to research in neuroscience and psychology, anxiety and excitement are physiologically almost identical.

Both activate your sympathetic nervous system - better known as the fight-or-flight response. When this system kicks in, your body releases stress hormones like adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine.

The result?

• Your heart beats faster

• Your breathing speeds up

• Your palms get sweaty

• Your senses sharpen

In other words, your body is gearing up for action.

Watch our discussion here:

Research summarized by the American Psychological Association explains that these responses are designed to help you perform under pressure—not shut you down.

Same Signals, Different Stories

Here’s where things get interesting.

While your body reacts the same way in both states, your brain tells two very different stories about what’s happening.

• Anxiety: “Something might go wrong.”

• Excitement: “Something great is about to happen.”

The difference lies in how your prefrontal cortex interprets the signals coming from your body. Meanwhile, the amygdala—your emotional processing centre—is highly active in both states.

So, the sensations aren’t the issue but the interpretation is - which is great, because now you are in control and you can choose where to steer this energy. 

A Simple (and Powerful) Reframe

Research by Alison Wood Brooks at Harvard Business School found something surprisingly simple and incredibly effective; instead of trying to calm down when you’re nervous, reframe the feeling as excitement.

In her studies, participants who said, “I am excited,”  before high-pressure tasks like public speaking or performing - consistently did better than those who tried to relax.

Why?

Because calming down works against your body’s natural state. Reframing works with it.

You’re not trying to eliminate the energy, how overwhelming and futile would that be?!?! You’re redirecting it. Does it matter if you feel like you're lying to yourself? Nope! Say it out loud to your mind and body - they will believe you, you will believe yourself and it will become true. 

What This Means for Communicators

If your work involves presenting, pitching, leading, or creating, this insight is a game changer.

That surge you feel before

• stepping on stage

• hitting “send” on a big proposal

• walking into a high-stakes meeting

…isn’t a warning sign. It’s fuel.

Top performers don’t avoid that feeling because they've learned how to interpret it differently. It's a simple hack that almost anyone can apply in their own lives. 

Instead of, “I’m nervous” “I’m scared.” 

Try, “Let’s gooooooo!” “I’m energized!” “I’m excited!”

It may feel like a small shift or even just silly, but cognitively, it flips your mindset from threat to opportunity. 

The Takeaway

Say it again for the brain in the back!

Your nervous system doesn’t distinguish between fear and excitement; it simply prepares you to act.

As many researchers put it, they’re two sides of the same coin.

So, the next time your heart starts racing and your palms begin to sweat, don’t fight it. Welcome it. Embrace it. Use it.

Because in the moments that matter most, the goal isn’t to be calm.

It’s to be alive, engaged, and ready to perform.