158: Don't Calm Down Dear

When you are feeling a nervous mess before public speaking, interviews or any performance event where you fear messing up.... the friendly advice is 'calm down - breathe deep - visualise lovely things' etc! You tell yourself to 'calm down' as you see your hands trembling and feel your stomach full of butterflies.... but.... what if there was a better way to proceed that seems very counter-instinctive? This short unsquasher episode explores an alternative way. Inspired by reading a highly recommended book - 'Cringeworthy' by Melissa Dahl and some research refrenced by the author. Book and research links and transcript PDF in shownotes at https://trishalewis.com/   Video of this episode   Enjoy the episode and subscribe. Please take time to leave a review on your favourite platform to help spread the word if you find this podcast informative, motivating, enjoyable or simply 'calming'! Find out more about my communication and confidence coaching services as well as my unsquashing mission (the book, the TEDx) at trishalewis.com.

Om Podcasten

Welcome to Self Belief Unsquashed, the podcast that takes you on a liberating journey to bring your whole self to the surface. Whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert—let’s face it, you’re human—this is your space to untangle the messy knots of self-doubt and squash the myths that keep you small. Hosted by Trisha Lewis, author of ’The Mystery of the Squashed Self’ and TEDx speaker, this podcast dives headfirst into the everyday barriers that hold us back: the sneaky grip of comparisonitis, the weight of people-pleasing, the fear of rejection, and the baggage of past experiences. With warmth, wit, and wisdom drawn from her own journey, Trisha offers bite-sized episodes filled with thought-provoking reframes, actionable challenges, and raw honesty. No fluff, no filters—just real talk about what it takes to show up as your true self and feel good about it. Ready to bash down the barriers and build unstoppable self-belief? Tune in and let’s get unsquashed. Mix of Trisha Lewis solo short episodes and Trisha with guests in longer conversations.