Anxiety is Hurting My Business

Summary

Podcast Summary: Dr. Laura Call of the Day – “Anxiety is Hurting My Business”

Episode Overview

• Title: Anxiety is Hurting My Business
• Host: Dr. Laura Schlessinger
• Guest: Raquel, a Nutritional Coach
• Release Date: July 24, 2025
• Platform: SiriusXM Triumph 111

In this episode of Dr. Laura Call of the Day, Dr. Laura Schlessinger addresses a caller named Raquel, a nutritional coach struggling with anxiety that is adversely affecting her business endeavors. The conversation delves into the nature of anxiety, shares personal experiences, and offers practical strategies to manage nervousness effectively.

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1. Caller’s Concern: Anxiety Impacting Business Growth

Raquel initiates the discussion by expressing her admiration for Dr. Laura and outlining her predicament:

Raquel [00:32]: "So that is my issue that I'm having. I'm a nutritional coach and I'm trying to get my business across everywhere so everybody could learn the foundation. Because I believe that nutrition is the foundation to longevity and to be healthy and live a healthy lifestyle. Not medication ban to me. But when I try to talk to people that are high up, I get so nervous."

Raquel's primary anxiety revolves around communicating her expertise to influential individuals, fearing that her nervousness might undermine her professional efforts.

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2. Dr. Laura’s Personal Experience with Anxiety

Dr. Laura empathetically acknowledges Raquel’s feelings and shares her own experiences with anxiety:

Dr. Laura Schlesinger [01:08]: "I thought you were calling me with a problem. This is normal. It's normal. It is totally normal."

She recounts her early days in radio, describing the physical manifestations of her anxiety:

Dr. Laura Schlesinger [01:36]: "The first year I was on radio, I was on once a week as a guest. And every week before I went on, I threw up."

This personal anecdote serves to normalize Raquel’s experience, illustrating that even seasoned professionals grapple with similar challenges.

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3. Strategies to Manage Anxiety

Dr. Laura offers actionable strategies to help Raquel control her anxiety:

a. Breathing Exercises and Visualization

Dr. Laura Schlesinger [01:42]: "I started doing 10 minutes of breathing exercises with nice imagery before I turned on the microphone. You find a way to calm your body down."

By incorporating deep breathing and visualization techniques, Raquel can stabilize her physiological response to stress.

b. Understanding the Nervous System

Dr. Laura Schlessinger [02:55]: "You get anxious, my adrenaline's flowing, so I've got to get my parasympathetic nervous system back into gear... calm your adrenaline down as best you can."

Dr. Laura emphasizes the importance of regulating the autonomic nervous system to mitigate anxiety symptoms without eliminating the beneficial aspects of adrenaline that keep the mind alert.

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4. Importance of Preparation

Preparation plays a critical role in reducing anxiety:

Dr. Laura Schlessinger [02:55]: "I already prepared what I want to say and present. So there's no insecurity there. I have all that done and I know what I'm talking about."

By thoroughly preparing her material, Raquel can bolster her confidence, ensuring that her knowledge serves as a foundation against nervousness.

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5. Physical Activities to Alleviate Tension

Dr. Laura discusses various physical methods to disperse nervous energy:

Dr. Laura Schlesinger [03:48]: "Make people breathe five times deeply, making noise or jumping up and down. That seems counterintuitive. Or jumping up and down 10 times."

While traditional methods like push-ups may not appeal to everyone, incorporating movement can help dissipate excess adrenaline and reduce tension.

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6. Reframing Anxiety as Excitement

Shifting perspective on anxiety can transform its impact:

Dr. Laura Schlesinger [05:57]: "All I think about is I can't wait. I can't wait to get out there. I can't wait to talk to everybody. I can't wait to hear laughter."

By viewing nervousness as enthusiasm for the upcoming engagement, Raquel can harness her anxiety as a driving force rather than a hindrance.

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7. Encouragement and Final Thoughts

Dr. Laura concludes the session by reinforcing Raquel’s capabilities and the normalcy of her feelings:

Dr. Laura Schlessinger [04:42]: "It's totally normal to have a reaction of some tension."

She instills confidence in Raquel, highlighting that her ability to engage despite anxiety is a testament to her resilience and control.

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Conclusion

In this insightful episode, Dr. Laura Schlessinger provides compassionate support and practical techniques for managing anxiety, especially in professional settings. By sharing her personal struggles and effective strategies, she empowers listeners like Raquel to take control of their anxious responses, fostering personal growth and business success.

For more advice and support, tune in to Dr. Laura’s daily radio program on SiriusXM Triumph 111 or visit DrLaura.com.

Transcript

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

Thanks for listening to my Call of the Day podcast. You can hear my live radio program Monday through Friday from 2 to 5pm Eastern Time on Sirius XM Triumph 111. Raquel, welcome to the program.

[Raquel]

Hi, Dr. Nora. First of all, I'm a huge, huge, amazing, huge fan. Thank you for everything you do.

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

Thank you.

[Raquel]

So like I was telling your screener, oh, gosh, I hope I don't do it with you. I try to get. When I get nervous, I start talking really fast.

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

I think most people do that. So just take a few breaths and you'll be fine.

[Raquel]

Okay. So that is my issue that I'm having. I'm a nutritional coach and I'm trying to get my business across everywhere so everybody could learn the foundation. Because I believe that nutrition is the foundation to longevity and to be healthy and live a healthy lifestyle. Not medication ban to me. But when I try to talk to people that are high up, I get so nervous. Doc. Dr. Laura. That I'm Raquel. To find a way.

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

Raquel. Raquel.

[Raquel]

Yes.

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

I thought you were calling me with a problem. This is normal. It's normal. It is totally normal. So what people do when they have to make presentations, I mean, the first year I was on radio, I was on once a week as a guest. And every week before I went on, I threw up.

[Raquel]

That's how I feel.

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

Yes. But I did this for a year and I'm still here.

[Raquel]

Okay.

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

So that means I had to find a way to adjust my anxiety so I could do my job without causing my body so much stress. So I started doing 10 minutes of breathing exercises with nice imagery before I turned on the microphone. You find a way to calm your body down. Your body is not doing this out of your control. It's in your control. You need to take the time. I just explained to you how I stopped throwing up.

[Raquel]

Yeah.

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

That was therefore in my control. I'm sorry, did you miss part of that?

[Raquel]

No, no, no, I got it. You're right. You did, you did.

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

Now listen to how you sound right now. Compared to 20 seconds ago, you sound calmer. So, yes, it's in your control.

[Raquel]

Okay, so just. Okay, so I'll try to deep breathe.

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

And you don't try. You say, I get anxious, my adrenaline's flowing, so I've got to get my parasympathetic nervous system back into gear. You. You know all of that because you're into nutrition. So now I'm just going to breathe. Breathe. And I already prepared what I want to say and present. So there's no insecurity there. I have all that done and I know what I'm talking about. Because if you don't know what you're talking about, stay home. But if you believe you know what you're talking about, then you have to calm yourself down to get your parasympathetic. Working your adrenaline down as best you can. It'll not go down completely and you don't want it to go down completely because you want a little adrenaline. It keeps your brain awake. So this is all in your control. You need to take the time to calm yourself down. Have you? If you've been listening to the show, you hear me. Make people breathe five times deeply, making noise or jumping up and down. That seems counterintuitive. Or jumping up and down 10 times. Before, I used to do pushups with people, but they don't want to do push ups. So these are all things you do to get yourself straightened away so you can take care of business. It's all in your control. Totally normal to have a reaction of some tension. Totally normal. Anytime a human being puts themselves out in front of people, they're risking embarrassment and rejection. And we don't like that. Do you know that when some people get embarrassed, their faces flush? This is all normal. Normal.

[Raquel]

Okay. I feel better with that. I really do. I thought it was just me thinking.

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

Because my self esteem is not that you're a nutcase. No, not about this anyway. I mean, if you're a nutcase in some other way. We're not discussing that.

[Raquel]

Not right now. But I appreciate it. Thank you so much. That makes me feel better. Thank you very much.

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

Listen how you sound right now. You sound really good. And you're still talking to me. You're still talking to me. Yeah, but you're handling it. But you're handling it. That's what we all have to learn to do. You've heard about people in the theater every time for years. When they have to get on stage, they get nervous. Why do you think so many performers are drug addicts and alcoholics? They use the wrong way to calm themselves down before they get on a stage.

[Raquel]

Oh, wow. Never thought of that. Wow. Thank you for that. Yes, wow. You're right. You are totally right.

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

Now my thing for nervousness, I don't have any anymore. Ever. When I have to get on a stage, all I think about is I can't wait. Wait to get out there. I can't wait to talk to everybody. I can't wait to hear laughter. I can't wait to hear questions. I can't wait.

[Raquel]

Oh, I can't wait. Oh, I can't wait to hear that.

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

So if you say because you made a whole big deal of nutrition is so freaking important, right?

[Raquel]

Yes, ma'. Am. Yes.

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

I can't wait to show them how they can live 20 minutes longer if they don't put cheese on their burger. I can't wait.

[Raquel]

Oh, I love that. I love that analogy of looking at it that way. I never saw it that way. Thank you.

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

You're very welcome.

[Raquel]

I will be looking at it. I appreciate that more than you, more than you will ever know. Thank you so very much. I'm going to be.

[Dr. Laura Schlesinger]

I appreciate hearing that. Thank you. Yeah. I look forward to the experience of smiling faces, and I just love it. I particularly like when I can make an audience laugh. I like that a lot. I'm Dr. Laura Schlesinger. My number, 1-800-375-2872. You're just a click away from some terrific deals being offered by companies that get the Dr. Laura stamp of approval. Visit DrLaura.com, click on sponsors to take advantage of the special discounts available to Dr. Laura listeners like you.