Performance & Public Speaking Anxiety/Phobia
Picture this: You’re about to take the stage for a performance or a critical work presentation. Suddenly, your mouth goes dry, your palms get sweaty, and your heart starts racing. Your breath becomes shallow and rapid, you tremble, and your voice loses its usual strength, speed, and tone. You even feel like you might be on the verge of a panic attack. Does this scenario sound familiar?
In moments like these, your brain, in its primal wisdom, assesses the crowd or audience in front of you. Are they friendly? Do they like you? Or do they seem like they might devour you? Your body’s fight, flight, or freeze response kicks in, even though there’s no real danger or threat.
Sometimes, the root cause of this problem can be traced back to something someone once said to you, like a critical parent, caregiver, or teacher. Just one negative experience can be enough to trigger this issue. This common challenge can be significantly alleviated or conquered with the assistance of a therapist as well as teaching you proactive steps you can take to help yourself.
And while medication might be suggested, I consider it a last resort, although it’s often the first line of treatment when someone seeks help from their doctor. Propranolol, a beta-blocker, is commonly prescribed and can be beneficial as it reduces anxiety. It’s usually taken as needed, about an hour before the event. But what if with support you could harness the power of your own body and mind to overcome this challenge?
I would love to help you overcome any fear or phobia you may have about performing or speaking in public.
Click on the contact button, send me a message and get ready to let go of performance anxiety or fear of public speaking.
Here are some strategies that can help:
1. Breathing: You’re already breathing, but try this: take a deep breath from your diaphragm (your belly). Inhale for a count of 7, hold for 4, and exhale for 11. The key is to exhale for a longer duration than you inhale. This engages your rest and digest system, the parasympathetic system, promoting calmness.
2. Movement: Change your physical position. If you can, move to a different space as you continue the breathing exercise. If you’re seated, make slight adjustments to your posture.
3. Shake it Off: Much like animals, shake or move your body to dissipate the adrenaline surge or consider it as a burst of energy that primes you for action.
4. Maintain Eye Contact: Looking up gives an instant boost of confidence.
5. Speech: Slow down your speech, vary your pace, and use strategic pauses. Pronunciation and articulation are vital.
6. Body Language: Maintain good posture – stand tall with your head up and shoulders back. This not only projects confidence but makes you feel more poised in both mind and body.
7. Made a mistake? Remember this golden rule: if you happen to forget something or make a mistake during your performance or presentation, chances are high that your audience won’t even notice. And in the rare instance that they do, embrace that mistake with genuine warmth and humour. You’ll find that your audience will actually warm up to you even more.
8. Body language. In terms of body language, it’s crucial to stand (or sit) tall with your head held high and your shoulders back. This confident posture not only boosts your self-assurance both mentally and physically but also fosters a favourable response from your audience.”
9. Smile: Don’t underestimate the power of a smile. Remember the saying, ‘Smile, and the whole world smiles with you.’
And remember, even if you forget something or make a mistake, chances are the audience won’t notice. If they do, embrace the mishap with warmth and humour – the audience will appreciate your authenticity even more.