Getting Over Stage Fright
If you are an actor, musician or other performer, or an author, coach or anyone who makes presentations to an audience, you may experience performance anxiety or stage fright. What can we do about it?
“Creative people are extremely sensitive. Neurologically, they are very finely tuned and open to all kinds of energies from the outside, so it’s important they protect themselves and not be overwhelmed…
“People need immediate relief for anxiety; they don’t want to wait.”
Energy Psychiatrist Judith Orloff – see the page How to reduce anxiety – Judith Orloff on Emotional Freedom for more quotes, audio clip and link to her book.
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Janet Esposito, MSW, is the president of In The SpotLight, LLC, a company devoted to helping people overcome fear of public speaking and performing.
In one of her books, she talks about the potential value of facing this very common fear:
It seems like quite a stretch to think that our fear of public speaking and performing can actually be a blessing in our lives.
That sounds like a big dose of positive thinking—an attempt to be the eternal optimist trying to find the silver lining in a difficult and often painful experience of personal suffering.
I am the last person to deny how challenging and agonizing this fear can be for those who suffer from it, having been there myself and having heard the stories of hundreds of fellow sufferers over the years.
At the same time, there is a hidden side to this fear, which you can only discover when you stop running from it and finally face the “monster in the closet.”
I have personally experienced, and have seen with many coaching clients and workshop participants, how approaching this fear in an adaptive way can lead to unexpected and far-reaching gifts.
From her book Getting Over Stage Fright: A New Approach to Resolving Your Fear of Public Speaking and Performing.
Another of her books: In The SpotLight: Guided Exercises to Create a Calm and Confident State of Mind, Body, & Spirit While Speaking or Performing.
[Image is from her site performanceanxiety.com.]
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Related article: Dealing With Anxiety – Actors and Performers
– Among many quotes: Carrie Underwood: “At the beginning of my career, I used to have panic attacks.” / Colin Firth: “I had appalling stage fright the last time I went on stage.” / Hugh Grant said, “I get these panic attacks.”
The stage image at top is from the book Stage Fright: 40 Stars Tell You How They Beat America’s #1 Fear by Mick Berry, MFA and Michael Edelstein, PhD.
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article: Actors and Anxiety – Get Help For Your Stage Fright.
Even if you are an experienced actor or other performer, you may still experience stage fright or insecurity. But there are effective ways to deal with anxiety so you can work with more power and creative satisfaction.
The list of talented performers who have experienced stage fright includes Kim Basinger; Barbra Streisand; Alanis Morisette; Aretha Franklin; Nicolas Cage; Naomi Judd; Carly Simon, and Edie Falco, among many others.
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See more resources on the Anxiety Relief Solutions site.
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* Note – Links to programs and products may be affiliate links, which means a company or publisher provides a small commission to me (paid by them, at no cost to you) if you decide to purchase. This helps support my efforts in creating the free content you read here and on my other sites, plus helps pay for costs such as website hosting. As an Amazon Associate, and an affiliate representing some other companies such as Sounds True, as well as a few coaches and psychologists, I provide links to products and programs that may be helpful to creative people. Thanks for visiting.
