Being stressed and being in danger can feel the same in your body. Remind yourself which one this is.

Your body runs one alarm system for both, so an exam and a near miss on the road produce a similar racing heart and a similar urge to run. The sensation is honest and the diagnosis is often wrong. Naming the difference does not make the feeling go, but it stops you treating an uncomfortable afternoon as a threat to your life.

When the alarm goes off, ask out loud whether you are in danger or under pressure. If it is pressure, name the actual worst case and then the next step. If it really is danger, that question gets answered fast too, and then you act.