Gavin, Thanks for the reminder to breathe. Simply sitting and breathing can get one through almost anything.

As to my own strategies for dealing with this kind of stuff – I’ve been working with it so long, and have so many techniques (and Munich is so close, just outside that door) that I’m not going to take the time right now to write them out. The shortest and simplest one: breathing. Also: reminding myself of what I said in that first paragraph, above.

With Love,
G

Sometimes I just bull my way through them secure in the knowledge that though I might make a hash of things it is likely that nobody is going to die. It is like getting that first face full of water in the surf when you can’t quite bring yourself to totally immerse. Once done, though, you are just comfortable and get better with more and more practice. Mistakes are moments where I learn especially if I pay attention.

Sometimes I have to sit down and rethink and reread those moments where I overcame doubt to remind myself that such things are possible. That is why training logs and the like become so important for me at those times because I can see the development of a new skill from initial interest and doubt, to first stumbling steps, to mistakes, and then to some form of mastery.

I also listen to the recommendations of others. Not just what they say, but how they say it, and what they then do.

Good luck developing this new skill.

-R