10 Ways to Overcome Your Stage Fright
Be prepared
Before you even think about stepping on stage, you need to be as prepared as possible. Make sure you’re mentally prepared to deal with whatever happens. Take a moment to write down any thoughts you may have about performing—whether it’s how you hope the show goes or what you’re worried about happening. Once you’ve written down your thoughts, go back and circle anything that is just irrelevant or unhelpful. Once you’ve cleared off as much space in your head as possible, you should be ready to walk onto that stage ready to deal with whatever comes at you. In order to be prepared, you may need to make some adjustments to your normal routine. If you typically practice at the same time every day, try practicing at a different time. Or, if you have a routine that you often follow while you’re practicing, change it up and try something different. If you’re a musician, make sure you’re doing everything you normally do, but just don’t focus on it while you’re practicing. Instead, try to reframe your practice routine to help you deal with your stage fright.
Work out your anxiety
Another thing you can do to help manage your stage fright is to work out some of your anxiety by doing something physical. One of the quickest and most effective ways to reduce stress is to get your body active. Working out not only helps to calm your mind, it can also help to reduce your blood pressure, which helps to reduce blood flow to your arteries, which reduces your stress levels. Exercising has been shown to be an extremely effective way to reduce levels of stress by increasing your mood and helping you to feel more confident and relaxed. Not only can it reduce your anxiety, it can have other positive health benefits as well: It can help to reduce your risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease, while increasing your metabolism and improving digestion.
Breathe
There’s no way around it: When you’re performing, you’re going to be nervous. It’s a fact of life as a performer, and there’s nothing you can do about it. The only way to deal with it is to let yourself feel it and accept it. The best thing you can do to manage this stage fright is to remind yourself to breathe and stay calm. When you’re on stage, try to take five deep breaths. This may sound simple, but it can be difficult to focus on something so simple when you’re feeling so anxious. This may be a great way to distract yourself from your nerves and refocus your energy on something else.
Talk to your friends and family
If you can talk to your friends or family while you’re feeling nervous, they may be able to help you refocus your mind. Talking to someone can be a great distraction, and it can also help you to get perspective. Positive friends and family members may be able to remind you that even if you’re nervous, you’re in good hands and that you’ll be able to handle it when it’s time to go onstage. This may help to calm you down and refocus your energy.
Be honest with yourself
When you’re feeling stage fright, it can be tempting to ignore it or try to push through it. While this can be an effective way to deal with many other kinds of fear, it’s not the best way to deal with your stage fright. The best thing you can do is to be honest with yourself about how you’re feeling. What is happening right now? What are you thinking right now? What are you feeling right now? Try to be as honest with yourself as you can while you’re performing: This will help to keep you as grounded as possible while you’re onstage.
Take a minute to look around you
While it’s important to stay focused on your breathing and your mental state, there are a number of other little things you can do to help you make the most of your time onstage. One of these is to take a moment to look around you at where you are. This may seem silly or unimportant, but it can actually help to keep you focused and on-task. Think about what is in front of you: the lights, the sound system, the space, the audience, etc. What is it about each of these things that helps to keep you focused? Try to take a moment to think about each of these things when you’re feeling anxious. This may help to keep you more focused while onstage.
Find something to focus on
As you’re taking a moment to look around you, think about what you can do to help you stay focused. Try to think of one thing that you can do to help keep yourself focused while you’re onstage. Try to find something that helps you to refocus your mind and keeps you focused on the task at hand. This may be something as simple as trying to find a landmark or something that keeps you focused on the show you’re performing. This may be as simple as finding something that you can focus on to help you stay focused.
Stay consistent
The best way to overcome stage fright is to deal with it as soon as it happens. If you know you’re going to be feeling stage fright, try to do something to help you manage it. When you’re performing, try to take deep breaths and try to refocus your thoughts. Try to keep your mind focused on the task at hand and away from whatever is causing you to feel anxious. When you’re feeling nervous ahead of a performance, try to refocus your energy on something small and simple. This may help you to stay focused and on-task while keeping your mind away from the larger issues.
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