The Inner Applause
Making Anxiety Work For You
“Sorry guys, I’m really nervous right now.”
Most of us have heard this at some point. At the start of a presentation. Before a big meeting. Right before something important happens at work.
It’s usually followed by a quick apology, as if nervousness is something to explain away.
And then someone invariably murmurs, “It’s okay!”
As if the goal is to make the feeling disappear.
But what if that moment deserves a different interpretation?
What if nervousness isn’t a problem at all?
What if it’s your body applauding quietly from the inside?
What We Call Anxiety at Work
The sensations are familiar:
a racing heart
tightness in the chest
rapid breathing
intense focus
a restless energy
We’ve learned to call this anxiety. And in professional settings, anxiety is often treated as evidence of being unprepared or not confident enough.
So we apologize for it.
Yet research shows that roughly 1 in 5 adults experience a lifetime fear of public speaking, making it one of the most common social fears observed.
In other words, this response isn’t rare, but can be oftentimes expected.
Physiologically, anxiety and excitement are nearly identical states of activation. Both signal that the nervous system is mobilizing energy and attention.
Your body doesn’t distinguish clearly between fear and anticipation.
It only knows one thing:
This matters. Pay attention.
Why This Matters
Anxiety, for many, is less likely to show up during low-stakes moments.
It appears before visibility.
Being seen. Being vulnerable.
Before leadership.
Before a healthy risk.
Before growth.
Decades of stress research show that physiological arousal increases with real or perceived importance. When something matters personally or socially, the body prepares accordingly.
I tell myself the same thing: I just care about this. And that’s a good thing.
When we automatically frame that activation as negative, we add a second layer of stress. Now it’s not just the moment itself. It’s the judgment layered on top of it.
Over time, that judgment compounds and becomes part of our inner monologue.
It teaches people to distrust their own signals instead of use them.
The Inner Applause Reframe
Research from Harvard Business School psychologist Alison Wood Brooks offers a powerful insight.
In controlled experiments involving public speaking and, oddly enough, singing, participants who reinterpreted pre-performance anxiety as excitement performed better than those who tried to calm themselves down. The nervous system remained activated. What changed was the meaning.
Instead of:
“My body is freaking out.”
It becomes:
“My body is gearing up. It’s ready.”
This is your body meeting the moment.
That’s where the idea of the inner applause comes from: the body’s excitement system cheering us on instead of tearing us down.
What might shift if we heard it that way?
A Structural Lens
In architecture, tension isn’t a flaw. It’s a feature.
Bridges rely on tension to hold weight.
Tall buildings are engineered to bend slightly in the wind.
Stress is distributed intentionally so structures don’t collapse.
Without tension, structures fail.
Your nervous system works the same way.
That activation before a high-stakes moment is load-bearing.
It’s energy being routed where it’s needed.
The inner applause is structural support.
How to Work With It
When the activation hits:
don’t apologize for it
don’t rush to eliminate it
don’t interpret it as failure
Instead:
notice it
name it
reframe it as readiness
“I’m nervous” can become:
“I care about this.”
“I’m ready.”
“I’m energized. Fired up and ready to go.”
Research on cognitive reappraisal shows that interpreting stress responses as functional rather than threatening leads to more adaptive performance and emotional regulation under pressure.
The story you give your brain matters.
Stop and think about what yours will be.
When the Applause Gets Too Loud
Sometimes the volume is too high.
If activation tips into overwhelm, that’s a cue for regulation.
Slow the exhale. Try the 3-3-3 method: inhale for three seconds, hold for three seconds, exhale for three seconds, ideally through the nose.
Ground your feet. Notice them on the floor. Remind yourself the floor is supporting you.
Orient to the room. Let your eyes rest briefly on something neutral or reassuring. I like looking for a friendly face. I can usually find one person who will knowingly nod in my direction.
The goal isn’t to erase anxiety. We all experience it.
The goal is to bring it back into a usable range so it works for you, not against you.
Leaders Shape the Meaning in the Moment
For leaders, these moments shape culture and the inner lives of the people around them.
How you respond when someone names their nervousness teaches them whether activation is something to hide or something to work with.
When someone says, “I’m really nervous,” resist the urge to minimize it.
Minimizing sends the message that activation is something to be sorry about.Name what the nervous system is doing.
“That usually means this matters.”Reframe the energy as functional, not problematic.
“That energy can work for you. Where do you want to direct it?”Remove the need for apology.
“You don’t need to apologize for caring.”
These brief responses shape how people relate to their own internal signals long after the moment passes.
People remember how you treated them here.
Closing Thoughts
That moment when someone says, “Sorry, I’m really nervous right now,” is a sign of investment.
Sometimes anxiety isn’t just a warning signal.
Picture a quiet, internal ovation. A system mobilizing before you step forward.
It’s a you got this, when you need it the most.
That inner applause?
It’s courage in motion.
You can’t just mind your business. You need to Mind Your Workplace™.
-Christina
This is such an incredible reminder that framing is imperative. Instead of: “My body is freaking out.” It becomes: “My body is gearing up. It’s ready.” I am definitely going to use this.