Do you have Telephobia?

Happy Friday, everyone! The week flew by! For this Friday's post, I'd like to touch on a pretty relevant (to me) topic - stranger anxiety. Or, more specifically, telephobia - speaking on the phone to strangers. Now, I'm not terrified, but it would be a lie to say I still don't get butterflies in my belly every time I pick up the phone to call a business contact or new prospect. This is a pretty common issue, believe it or not. But if you have a job or business that requires you to make good use of your phone plan (as I do!), it might be a good idea to see what you can do to eliminate those butterflies. (Or at least reduce 'em!) I researched some ideas that mental health professionals have on overcoming social anxiety-induced telephobia, and these were the top answers -
1. First and foremost - physically relax. If your body is tense, your mind will be too. Sit somewhere comfy and breathe deeply.
2. Now, think about the source of your anxiety and invalidate it. For example, if you are scared to call the person because you are afraid they will shut you down, or simply not be interested in what you have to say, remind yourself of the big picture. Will this specific moment really be that important in the long run? Will you (or they) even remember this in a few weeks? If you are emotionally invested, this obviously becomes a harder task to follow through with. But it becomes all the more important, as well.
3. Remind yourself of the reason you are calling this person in the first place. Let's face it, if you have an honest-to-goodness fear of the phone and you are still calling this person, it must be for a very good reason. Will it help you financially or emotionally? Find your reason and believe in it - lean on it.
4. It may help to be prepared if you have something specific to emote to the person you are calling. Have notes handy. Run through them in your mind before the call if you are nervous. If you believe you are prepared mentally, it will be a lot easier to pick up that phone.
5. Lastly, as simple as this sounds (and the opposite of #4), Just Do It! Just pick up the phone, dial the number, and don't think past it. Tasks like this become much simpler if you treat it as a regular, necessary occurrence and don't build it up in your mind to something it isn't. Everything can be simplified.

I love that - Everything Can Be Simplified. Think about it - It's true...
Have a great weekend everybody!