Dear Davida,

I have a serious problem here. I’m terrified of meeting with my success coach! It’s not the success coaches’ fault; I’m just very socially anxious and have trouble talking to people who I don’t know unless they get me on to a topic that I’m passionate about. I know that talking to my success coach is essential for my, you know, success, but I have a really hard time talking to this person. I’d like to know if there’s any way I can either work out my anxiety or avoid the coach altogether. Any ideas?

Signed,
Distress Coached

Dear Distress,

You’re right that getting through Lakeland will be difficult, if not impossible, unless you establish a relationship with your success coach. You mentioned that you open up to people more easily if you’re able to talk about things you enjoy. So, the next time you have to meet with your success coach, open up with a story about what you did over the weekend. You like dogs? Talk about how terrible the weather was over the weekend and how it made visiting the dog park miserable.

Get yourself warmed up with something you know a lot about, and ease into the important stuff. After that meeting, your success coach won’t be a stranger anymore, and it will be easier to take care of business. The more you push yourself out of your comfort zone, the less anxious you’ll become. If your anxiety doesn’t let up and pushes you into full-on anxiety attacks, I recommend you talk to a doctor— preferably one you already know!