Let's consider how your nerves might be affecting you. There is quite a range of possibility. You may have all or none of these indicators when doing training and trialing but will likely feel some affinity for at least one or two indications in some context of your life. While strategies may help broadly  I have grouped them into the type of nerves they may most help overcome, or at least hold at bay!

One of the first things you can do is to identify the source of your nerves – how few words can you reduce a statement about your nerves to? What causes you to be nervous? What do your nerves feel like to you? This distillation will give you something specific to work on rather than simply worrying about being nervous.Many many people simply know they are nervous they do not know why or where nerves impact them the most. Figuring this out can be a valuable step in problem solving. As with so much in dog training breaking it down into tiny little pieces can really make a difference to improving the issue. 

Physical signs of nerves may include sweaty palms, racing heart, dry mouth, feeling dizzy or sick to your stomach, wanting to eat everything in sight or losing all appetite.

Eating – there have been some studies shown that the action of chewing and the flavour of peppermint both have calming effects on the body. Use Science!! (lecture) 

Breathing – an easy and quick breathing exercise is to breathe in for the count of four and out for the count of five. Repeat. Any grounding breathing you are familiar with may be useful to rehearse here too. (lecture) 

Practice Good Self Care – eating, sleep, hygiene, positive thinking are all examples of elements of positive self care. (umm whole course? many lectures) 

Emotional indicators may include being on the edge of tears, more forgetful than usual, being disorganized or falling into negative spirals of thought.

The fine art of visualizing – capture the good that happens a moment, a search, a piece of praise from someone and create a mental snapshot or video you can pull out and look at when nerves threaten to erupt. (lecture) 

Confidence Corner – create a book, poster, bulletin board, shoe box whatever works for you of things that boost your morale and confidence. Photos, quotes, memories – you know what makes you feel better so use it to benefit yourself. (lecture - called Inspiration board in there)

Move to the Music – create a playlist that will inspire you, or make you happy or remind you of good times. Use your list(s) when you train or when you do things you enjoy so that you can associate the songs more and more with good feelings. Then use it on trial days. Driving to the event, at the event and as a boost on your way home are all times to consider music. (lecture already posted) 

Finding Joy/Fun/Gratitude – it is always appropriate to stop and appreciate what is right and working in your world – no matter if it’s connected to scent work or not. Write it down, say it out loud or mull it over ... challenge yourself to find pleasure in little things – then when nerves threaten to overwhelm you will have STOP, be grateful well practiced. (you likely have seen me on this either in the alumni group between courses or in my workbook) 

Record Keep – and check your records when you need a confidence boost.(This is covered in this class but also more explicitly in both No More Excuses and Handle This) 

Social aspects of nerves may include a strong desire to be with and engaged with people (especially if you tend to extraversion) or an equally strong desire to hide in your car or vehicle (more likely for those with introverted tendencies).  You may also be less patient and angrier or more distressed than normal, and quicker to blame others, including your animal partner.

Fake it until you make it – you are nervous and don’t want to be? Plaster a smile on your face and up your helpful thoughtful side. Be present in the moment and push your nerves back. If they drift up to the forefront of your brain push them back again, and again, and again until you have the habit of locking them away well under wraps. This method is not effective for everyone in part because it’s hard work. It requires much practice before you are at threshold or beyond it. (I highly recommend testing and becoming familiar with what methods work for you when you are only slightly nervous – not in the middle of a full blown anxiety attack!)

Find your Focus – thinking about your nerves can create a tail spin of negative energy – but thinking about the goals and plans you have established for your partnership can ground you and help you keep moving forwards. Planning and goal setting have a place in any work plan. (embedded through course) 

Use your support group - love them, cherish them and talk to them about what worries you and brainstorm solutions with them. A journal can be a fine support group of one for one too!

Overall, no matter which of these strategies have resonance for you, it’s important to challenge your nervous thoughts directly, thoughts are guests in your body they are not you! You are not nervous, but rather you feel nervous ... truly I mean this – the sooner you can accept and understand this the less nerves will run you. Accept that you have nervous thoughts and will likely have flare ups of nerves in new or stressful situations – funnily enough that will actually help reduce the impact of the nerves on you. Reframe your nerves (nerves truly affect people who care and want to be successful – and how can wanting to be good at something be a bad thing?) and train your brain to think positively. It will help moderate the nerves you feel. 

Homework: How do your nerves affect you? Where do you feel nerves? What strategies have you tried to address them? Which worked for you? Which didn't? What can you try going forward?