4 Ways To Overcome Stage Fright

It’s those crippling nerves that attack at the very worst moment. They completely take over your mind and exhaust you completely. What we’re talking about is stage fright, the uncontrollable fear that overwhelms some of us when we’re in front of a large audience. It could be anything like talking, singing, acting, or receiving an award. Just about any situation can trigger this instant panic.

To begin with, we would like to remind you that this is a very common form of anxiety. Even actors with the best self-image and the most self-confidence can suffer from it at some point.

So even if it’s never happened to you, it’s a good idea to learn a few tricks to overcome stage fright and get yourself over it with flying colors. You have to train your body and mind and learn to control your breathing. Let’s dig a little deeper into this topic.

Overcome stage fright by relaxing beforehand

If you’re standing in front of a large crowd waiting to do something, try to calm your mind and body first. This means calming down inside, so you can go on stage calmly and clearly.

If you are going to play in a concert, act or have to give a speech in front of a lot of people, try to stabilize your voice. It’s the most important tool you’ll be using, so you need to make sure it works properly. Sing softly, hum a song to yourself, gargle with water and warm up your vocal cords.

This part is extremely important! Whisper to yourself peaceful, positive words. Then breathe in and out deeply. Repeat this process five times. You will naturally feel your heart rate slowing and you will feel more confident. Here are some phrases you can use here:

• ‘It’ll be fine’
• ‘Have faith in yourself’
• ‘You can do it’

You can also do stretching exercises. Move your head from side to side, shrug your shoulders and straighten your back, legs and arms. It’s a way to get rid of the physical tension that builds up in these kinds of situations.

You can even make up your own tricks or rituals. For example, you can chew gum beforehand, drink an energy drink, meditate or wear a specific color. The goal is for you to be confident on stage. So if you have to leave five minutes later to do any of these things, don’t rush. It’s better to wait a while than to rile yourself up and let the stage fright take over.

Prepare your speech

Often we are nervous because we are not sure if we have mastered the subject we need to talk about. That’s why you need to make sure you know the subject through and through. So you can talk about it freely and answer possible questions correctly with ease.

Repeat your speech as many times as necessary to familiarize yourself with it. This does not mean that you have to know every sentence literally by yourself. It just means that you really need to know and in other words describe the main ideas.

That way it will be easier for you to pick up the thread again if you need to deviate at some point. In the end, it’s about feeling comfortable, just like a fish in water.

Find a mirror you can practice in front of. Act, listen and correct yourself. You can even make a video of yourself doing the presentation. Watching yourself can be hugely helpful when it comes to beating stage fright. Prevention is better than cure!

Use easy-to-read words and short sentences. If you use words that are difficult to pronounce or sentences with too many clauses, you will definitely trip over them. And this can cause you to lose the thread. This naturally makes you even more nervous and eventually you become completely paralyzed.

Visualize yourself and get to know the environment

Although it is often not easy to visit the place where you will be in front of the public, it is a good idea to try it anyway. It will help you visualize how you are addressing all those people and it will make you more confident.

Knowing how the place is set up and where the seats, stage and lights are will make you feel better about the situation. If there is no possibility to go there beforehand, try to get there a few hours before your audience. That way, you can familiarize yourself with the environment you will be in before it becomes crowded with people.

You can also  talk to some of the audience members a few minutes before you are due to take the stage . That intimacy calms your nerves and balances you.

Calm and imagination during your speech

Speak slowly. One of the biggest signs that a person has stage fright is that they speak faster. If you talk too fast, you’ll stumble over your words and people won’t understand you.

Then when you notice the commotion in the audience, you will panic and all your effort will have been for nothing. The key is to make sure you talk at the same pace all the time.

If you notice that your voice, hands, or even your entire body is still shaking, try taking a deep breath. Give yourself five seconds and imagine that your favorite person is with you. Someone who loves you and respects and supports you. Imagine he is the one sitting in every chair. Then take a second to feel how his power and positive energy are there with you.

Another trick you can use is to imagine everyone in the audience in their underwear or wearing really weird clothes. That way, you’re not the only one to get rid of its “defense.”

Finally, always remember: relaxation, preparation, visualization and concentration. These are the four basic requirements for successfully overcoming stage fright. Give these four tricks a try. You will see that you will suddenly enjoy speaking in public!