How to Overcome Scenic Fear

If you fear the idea of standing up in front of a group of people and acting, you’re not alone. Millions of people suffer from performance anxiety, commonly called “stage fright.” Athletes, musicians, actors, and public speakers often have performance anxiety, as it is also known.

Performance anxiety can prevent you from doing what you enjoy and can affect your career. Worst of all, performance anxiety can negatively affect your self-esteem and self-confidence. Although it may be impossible to fully overcome performance anxiety, there are many things we can do to control your emotions and reduce anxiety.

What is Stage Fear?

Performance anxiety or stage fright is the most common phobia in the United States. Anyone whose activity catches the attention of an audience, whether large or small, can experience performance anxiety.

Performance anxiety is most often experienced as a fear of public speaking. However, people whose career or other interests require them to take the “stage” for other purposes, i.e. actors, musicians, athletes, etc., will experience stage fright as an impediment to their own particular activity.

Although it is treatable, many people simply suffer with it, with all the limitations and negative emotions it imposes. They don’t realize that help is available; they fear not being helped; or they think it will be too difficult.

Types of Scenic Fear

Some people go to great lengths to avoid any possibility of being “on stage.” These people usually manage to avoid introductions, but often lament the way this fear controls their life choices.

There are others whose performance anxiety is less extreme. They don’t let fear dictate their main career and life choices. But they strive to avoid occasional presentations. They usually keep their fear a secret and try to find ways around it. As a result, they never feel safe. The problem looms over their head for long periods of their life, even though they rarely give a presentation.

Then there are those whose professional success has led them to the need for public speaking, even though they would prefer to avoid it. Lawyers, engineers, architects, authors, doctors, teachers and others whose work has become so successful, that they are increasingly sought after and pressured to present their talents and knowledge to an audience.

And finally, there are people who are passionate about creative expression. In this group we find artists, musicians, singers, actors, comedians, professional speakers and athletes. None of them are immune to performance anxiety.

Symptoms of Stage Fear

Being the center of attention and having all eyes on you can be stressful. The body reacts to this situation in the same way it would if it were attacked. The “fight or flight” mechanism is activated, which is why the symptoms of stage fright are similar to the symptoms that occur when we are in real danger.

Symptoms of performance anxiety may include:

• Rapid pulse and rapid breathing
• Dry mouth and tight throat
• Trembling of hands, knees, lips and voice.
• Cold, sweaty hands
• Nausea and feeling sick to the stomach.
• Changes in vision

Preparing to Speak in Public

Stress and anxiety about performance in front of people causes performance anxiety. Facing fears and vulnerabilities, accepting yourself as you are and not feeling that you have to prove yourself to others, is the first step to overcoming performance anxiety. Keep in mind that no one is perfect, no one expects you to be perfect, and it’s okay to make mistakes.

You must learn to redirect your negative thoughts, beliefs, images, and predictions about how to act in public. Doing this isn’t as hard as you might think.

Here are some suggestions on how to overcome it.

Know the material

No matter how conversational you are in casual face-to-face interactions, there is always something overly intimidating and strange about being in front of a group. However, getting to know the material in depth will help you to start speaking with confidence and without fear of the questions that may arise. It also helps to be enthusiastic. However, knowing the material in depth will be able to get you to start talking confidently and without fear of questions that may arise. It also helps to be enthusiastic.

Rehearse

In addition to knowing the material so that it is right on the tip of the tongue, rehearsing its delivery is paramount. Again, it is not recommended to simply go out and start talking without having practiced many times. Do this in front of a mirror to control your facial expression and body language so you can get an idea of when and how often to move. It shows that you are comfortable with your skin and can relate to the audience.

Once you are satisfied, you can give your speech in front of a friend, family member, or co-worker. It also helps to put the general outline of the speech on cards. Be sure to check it before the actual speech.

Visualize the best result

There is tremendous power in imagining a positive outcome, whatever the situation or activity. It is the power of positive thinking or of seeing yourself as successful. When you frame the future in this way, you provide motivation and increase self-confidence in the process. It’s the power of positive thinking or seeing yourself as a success. When you frame the future in this way, you provide yourself with motivation and increase self-confidence in the process.

Meditate

If you have time, go to a quiet room to close your eyes and perform a brief mindfulness meditation. Allow your thoughts to come and go and focus only on the sound of your breath coming and going. This will relieve anxiety, tension and stress and help you prepare for the next item on the agenda: your speech in front of the audience. This technique works even if the audience is family or friends and you’re about to say something that may not be particularly nice or welcome.

Take a deep breath before speaking

Although it is normal to feel butterflies in the stomach, there is a quick remedy to solve this discomfort. Take a deep breath before opening your mouth to speak. Deep breathing helps you calm your nerves and reduce stress. Take a deep breath before opening your mouth to speak. Deep breathing helps calm your nerves and reduce stress.

See yourself as someone else

This is a tried and true approach to calming the fear of public speaking. Think of yourself as an actor on stage playing a role. When you can separate yourself from the person speaking and adopt someone else’s inner personality, it’s not that intimidating to be on stage.

Expect interruptions

Depending on the situation and the reason for your speech, you should expect interruptions. Someone may have a question or there may be an unexpected shortage of energy. Expect the unexpected and you won’t be surprised. Someone may have a question or there may be an unexpected shortage of energy. Expect the unexpected and you won’t be surprised.

Anticipate questions and prepare to answer them

In business situations, just like in media events, questions are the norm. As a speaker, you will be asked for their opinion, to clarify a comment, add information or evaluate some seemingly strange or irrelevant point of view. Going back to the first recommendation to know the material, once you feel comfortable with the information you are providing, you should have the necessary answers. If not, you can say that you will get them and provide them to the applicant within a reasonable period of time. If the question is not relevant to the event or is in any way inappropriate, kindly say so and move on to the next question.

It gets easier and easier

It’s easier to be the speaker the more you do it. And easier to overcome stage fright every time. The key is always preparation. Also, the more thorough you are in planning the speech and rehearsal, the more likely you are to succeed. You may still experience a momentary scare, but you will have the tools to conquer it and achieve your goal.

Tips to combat performance anxiety

Here are some additional tips to help you overcome your stage fright and shine on stage, in the field or on the podium in your dissertation:

• Limit caffeine and sugar intake on the day of presentation.
• Eat a sensible meal a few hours before defending so you have energy and are not hungry. A low-fat meal that includes complex carbohydrates (whole wheat pasta, lentil soup, yogurt, or a bean and rice burrito) is a good option. A low-fat meal that includes complex carbohydrates (whole-grain pasta, lentil soup, yogurt, or a bean and rice burrito) is a good choice.
• Change the focus of yourself and your fear of enjoyment that you are bringing to viewers.
• Close your eyes and imagine the audience laughing and cheering, and you’ll feel good.
• Don’t focus on what could go wrong. Instead, focus on the positive. Visualize your success. Instead, focus on the positive. Visualize your success.
• Avoid thoughts that cast doubt on yourself.
• Practice controlled breathing, meditation, biofeedback, and other strategies to help you relax and redirect your thoughts when they become negative.
• Go for a walk, jump up and down, shake your muscles, or do whatever is right to ease your feelings of anxiety before the performance.
• Connect with your audience: smile, make eye contact and think of them as friends.
• Act naturally and be yourself.
• Keep in mind that stage fear is usually worse before the performance, and often disappears once it starts.

Conclusions

You can manage your relationship with stage fright by working with it instead of running away and allowing it to take you to the optimal performance “zone” described by professionals around the world. Taking into consideration the mental and physical strategies to transform your nervous energy into directed energy before and during your presentation, you will be able to enjoy this moment being the center of attention. And when your thesis is developed with all the parameters of structure and quality, demanded worldwide, you do not have to feel stage fright. And in Online-tesis.com,we are here to fulfill them.

Our specialists wait for you to contact them through the quote form or direct chat. We also have confidential communication channels such as WhatsApp and Messenger. And if you want to be aware of our innovative services and the different advantages of hiring us, follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

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Bibliographic References

Caral, J. y González B. (2013). Efectos de la PNL sobre el miedo escénico de estudiantes universitarios. Opción, Año 29, nº 71, pp. 90-106.

Olivares, J. y García López, L. J. (2002). Resultados a largo plazo de un tratamiento en grupo para el miedo a hablar en público. Psicothema,
vol.14.

Toral Madariaga, G. (2008). Comunicación emocional y miedo escénico en radio y televisión. Colombia: Signo y Pensamiento 52, volumen X17.

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