Strategies to Reduce Your Stage Fright

The fear of public speaking or performance, often called stage fright, exacts a huge toll on self-confidence and self-esteem and causes some people to leave school or job or pass up a promotion. Many, including seasoned professional performers, suffer in silent terror.

Some are the Strategies to Reduce Your Stage Fright:

1. Shift the focus from yourself and fear to your true purpose- contributing something of value to your audience.


2. Stop scaring yourself with thoughts about what might go wrong. Instead, focus your attention on thoughts and images that are calming and reassuring.


3. Refuse to think thoughts that create self-doubt and low confidence.


4. Practice ways to calm and relax your mind and body, such as deep breathing, relaxation exercises, yoga, and meditation.


5. Exercise, eat well, and practice other healthful lifestyle habits.


6. Drink water before the performance, and you can take sips of water to prevent your mouth from drying. Do not drink too much water before the 30 seconds of performance. You might need to go to the washroom.


7. Practice makes a man perfect. Some anxieties come because the activity is not mastered. Well-practiced activities increased self-confidence, which in turn decreases stress, and anxiety. Practice and practice; repeat and repeat until you know it by heart.


8. Visualize your success. Always focus on your strength and ability to handle challenging situations.


9. Prepare your material in advance and read it aloud to hear your voice.


10. Make connections with your audience. Smile and greet people, thinking of them as friends rather than as enemies.


11. Stand or sit in a self-assured, confident posture. Remain warm and open and make eye contact.


12. Give up trying to be perfect and know that it is OK to make mistakes. Be natural, be yourself.