Whether you’re an actor or not, nerves are the bane of control and confidence. We all experience nerves in some way or another but the way we handle them could mean the difference between freezing up and failing your job, and getting hired for another.
Nerves are not too dissimilar to the feeling of excitement – our heart beats faster, our breath quickens, and we get that tingly feeling all over our skin, all due to the “unknown”.
It’s that “what’s going to happen?” feeling. Well, when we are excited about something, we are looking forward to the unknown, but when we are feeling nervous, we fear the unknown. So really, it’s the same thing. Being unable to predict the unpredictable. If you can try to change your vocabulary from “I hope nothing bad happens” to “I can’t wait to see what happens”, you can begin to change your perspective and instead of fearing what is to come, you can begin to feel excited about the possibilities!
But what happens when you really are feeling the fear, in the moment? Standing in front of 100 people ready to give a speech, or even 1000 people on an outdoor stage playing Hamlet, or just speaking to your boss in a 1-to-1 meeting. Well, the primal part of our brain is pretty stupid. It really doesn’t know the difference between the fear of fighting a lion and standing in front of lots of people giving a speech. It makes you think you’re going to die. And what happens when we feel that fear? Well, we begin to breathe quickly, taking short sharp breaths. Our heart rate quickens. The adrenaline builds. All leading to the Fight-Flight-Freeze response (ever heard of stage fright? This is what causes it.)
So how do we combat that? Well, we need to tell our brain and in turn, our nervous system, that everything is alright. That we are in control. Follow these steps:
- Find your grounding. Plant your feet on the floor and imagine you’re rolling them in sand. This connects you to the ground so you have stable base to feel confident and strong.
- Breathe deeply into your belly. Combat the impulse to breathe into your shoulders and chest. Deep breaths calms your nervous system and convinces your brain that everything is alright.
- Controlled out breath. You are in control, let your breath leave the body straight in front of you. Be present with it.
- The audience are on your side. Tell yourself they want to be here and they’re routing for you. They’re not an enemy to win against.
- Focus on the information you want to give and the desire to connect with your audience. Take the focus off yourself and what other people think of you. Focussing on this creates unnecessary conflict and fear about what could go wrong. All that matters is your story and your communication with the people in front of you.
If you want more focussed coaching to help you with your nerves and communication, whether you’re an actor or not, why not get in touch here: contact – I’d love to guide you in realising your full potential!
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