Aria Zine Aria Zine Volume 1 | Page 11

How to not be Anxious When Ordering Food

BY: CORA FICK

Everyone has anxiety, it’s a normal part of human existence. If you didn’t have anxiety you would probably be dead; this is because anxiety is your body’s response on informing you that you are in danger. Most of the time, as a species without any predators beside ourselves, this anxiety is not something you need (for example ordering food over the phone). The fear of ordering food over the phone originates in the “danger” of being judged, whether that is being judged for ordering too much food or having a unique voice. So here is how to be confident when ordering food,

1. Pick out what you want to order, and write it down

Writing down what you want to order is a sure fire way of not messing up when you’re on the phone, you will order the right thing by looking at your list, and there will be no awkward moments of silence while you are thinking and going “um”.

2. Remind yourself that the person who answers the phone doesn’t care

Most of the time the person who answers the phone has been doing this all day, listening to people’s orders, and honestly not caring. The person who answers the phone knows that you aren’t ordering all of that food for yourself, and even if you are (they aren’t going to judge you). Want to know why? Because they talk to countless people all day every day, and probably just don’t care about what you order or how you order it.

3.Make sure you are calling the right number

Making sure you are calling the right number will avoid an awkward phone call with the other end of the wrong number, and keeping you from awaiting the “scary” moment.

4. Just do it!

Avoiding calling the restaurant will only make your anxiety worse, and then you will “worry about your worry”. This could lead to much worse than just a little anxiety. So (as Nike would say) just do it!

5. Don’t order online

Ordering online is only avoiding your issue, it’s proven that the best cure for anxiety is exposure. So therefor order over the phone to make your life easier, or order online to never adapt the skill of ordering food over the phone.

6. Remember to BREATHE!

Deep breathing is probably the most effective way to calm yourself down and anxiety is not a calm feeling. All you need to do is 4 square breathing! Breathe in for four seconds, hold for four seconds, breathe out for four seconds, hold for four seconds, and then repeat four times. If this does not work just breathe with your belly and not you chest.