How Do You Play When You Bat?

Although I've got a reputation as a big hitter, I tend to start very slow - if I try and hit out from the word go I generally fail miserably. The thing is, I'm rubbish at nurdling, so early on when I don't have my eye in enough to hit the big shots I tend to block block block and sometimees that can make me feel under pressure to score and I play stupid shots. If I get my eye in and start hitting I can be very destructive, two highlights of my batting career being a 30-ball (estimate) 49* and a 22-run over containing three sixes. Unfortunately that feeling of "he could get himself out at any moment" is generally still there, next season I'm looking to a) improve my decision making and cut out stupid shots and b) get better at nudging singles, particularly early on, to take the pressure of myself when I'm not hitting boundaries

A general question to all forum members here, which is when you are at the crease which approach do you take towards the bowlers. For example, do you try and attack every ball, do you play yourself in and then attack, or do you play steadily and only really attack when you need to? Also if you know your strike rates and batting averages try and put them up here too.