Think of the times when you have been stuck in worry about an upcoming project, presentation or event. You put all kinds of energy into imagining negative outcomes and the disastrous consequences those outcomes could create. The more anxious you became, the more energy was drawn into the vortex of worry, increasing its intensity and its power.

Worry can be like a black hole. In astronomy, black holes are centers of energy so dense that nothing, not even light, can escape their gravitational field.  Like black holes, worry can feel very dark. The worry vortex also contains within it an incredible amount of energy.

Yet the energy that you put into worrying is actually neutral. Energy itself is neither positive nor negative. The spin you put on the situation determines how you experience it. If you have negative expectations you will experience worry or anxiety. If you have positive expectations, you will experience excitement.

Think of energy as a coin. On one side of the coin, is worry and anxiety. On the other side of the coin is excitement. Which side of the coin comes up depends on how you experience the energy. For example, you can anticipate a roller coaster ride as four minutes of terror or you can see it as exhilarating fun.

If you view any situation from a negative perspective, the energy will be felt as worry, anxiety or even fear. You can experience that same energy as excitement, though, if you view the situation positively. You can then harness that excitement to empower you to excel.

Successful musicians, athletes and actors know that a certain level of excitement is necessary to perform up to par. They transform their stage fright into the electricity that’s part of any great performance.

You can change your worry to excitement by imagining a positive outcome. Really get into the benefits you will enjoy when you succeed. You can also focus on past experiences of success. Remember how you thought and felt when you did your best. Notice the qualities you used to succeed in the past and identify how you can apply these same strengths in the present situation.

Your energy is vast. The more aligned it is, the easier it will be to achieve your goals. Worry energy messes up that alignment, so switch your worry to excitement and you will empower yourself to achieve your goals and make your good life better.