A: Pump yourself up

TO OVERCOME FEARS, PUMP YOURSELF UP: To overcome fears you should pump yourself up, according to new research. Harvard Business School researchers have found that people who channeled nervous energy into excitement did better at public speaking challenges than those who attempted to settle their nerves. Those who channeled their nervous energy were rated as more persuasive, competent, and confident by a panel of strangers. A follow-up experiment found the practice increased scores on a math test by an average of 22-percent. Researchers explain that the process that occurs in the body when you’re nervous is very similar to the one that occurs when you’re excited, so it’s easier to change your energy than to simply calm down. Additionally, when you’re pumped up you’re betting on yourself succeeding, and thus become more likely to do so. (Men’s Health)