I need 3 to 5 sentences in response to this peer who wrote this what can I say to her:

"Just remember that the anxiety is not a reflection of your ability, but it is something you can conquer with time and awareness."  Is actually an extremely helpful statement. The main problem for me, and I think for a lot of us is just that, getting worked up or overwhelmed when all we really need is to take a deep breath. I struggle personally with the concept of the "growth mindset", I think it sounds amazing, in practice though, my brain likes to take the wheel and overreact on most things before I can even think. I would love to learn, and am working on learning how to talk to myself more in this way, and change my mindset, but it seems so difficult as for so long I have been the opposite, or had a pretty "fixed mindset". Whenever any little thing goes wrong I break down, here's an example, when I was learning how to drive and pulling out of the gas station (for the first time at night) I ran over the edge of the curb; I literally had to pull over and let my mom take over because it was not safe for me to be behind the wheel with my mindset spiraling the way it was; I was beating myself up about "running over the stupid curb" "ruining it" "cant do anything right". In reality, I can logically see that was one instance out of a long line of driving experiences that are good, but in the moment and sometimes creeping up after it really botheres and discourages me.

1 answer

Thank you for sharing your experience; it's a powerful reminder of how our thoughts can shape our reactions. It's great to see that you're actively working on developing a growth mindset, even if it feels challenging. Remember, it’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed at times, especially when facing new situations like learning to drive. Taking a moment to breathe and practice self-compassion can make a big difference in those high-pressure moments. You're definitely not alone in this journey—celebrating small victories along the way can help shift your perspective over time.