This is how stage fright becomes your friend.

"Just don't get stage fright, just the thought of it alone is scary!" I often hear my clients say. With stage fright, you feel like you're in a box, a tunnel, enclosed, walled in. Like standing on a diving board about to jump into the unknown. And now it's time to jump... How do you feel about it? Do you also think stage fright is negative and hindering? What is a horror for many has lost its terrifying face for the experienced. My colleagues from the acting scene deal with it more calmly, as they are familiar with turbulent emotions and generally know how to handle them better. They jump... and know that a safety net will appear; that everything will be fine! Stage fright, your good companion. And that's exactly what this blog is about. I talk about how you can also succeed in embracing stage fright as a good companion... and jump! My tip: Don't make stage fright your enemy in the first place! The bad reputation of stage fright is a misconception, which, like all misconceptions, confusions, and doubts, gives too much attention to the negative, and thus hinders you from tapping into your positive power to use your creativity to handle the unexpected and "small accidents" well. Personalities in leadership positions and people from various professions often perceive nervousness and uncertainty as a threat or defeat. Excitement, making mistakes, and "small technical mishaps" fall into the same category. Anything unforeseen, unplanned, uncontrolled. Therefore, let's take a closer look: A queasy feeling often arises when thinking, "Wow, a challenge is coming my way." It seems uncomfortable at least because it means leaving your comfort zone. The temperature rises once we have decided to truly take on the challenge, coupled with the stirring feeling, we ask ourselves: "Can I do this, can I handle this, am I good enough? etc." First of all, a good question, because a) you have competitors in your field, b) you question "am I really well-prepared?" and c) it shows you where you stand in terms of self-worth and self-confidence. Perhaps several variants apply. However, people who question themselves have an advantage; they critically assess themselves and the situation. They are far from self-satisfaction, vanity, and arrogance. Most of them take their performance, their task very seriously. People with stage fright are usually very reflective, sensitive, emotional, often introverted, and cautious. I assume you can largely identify with that, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this blog. 80% of actors also belong to this group. Yes, even artists get stage fright... I belong to that group! Due to "my personal failure," as I felt it back then, at the beginning of high school, public speaking was out of the question for me. A presentation I had to give went terribly wrong because I experienced a sudden wave of fear and panic during the talk, leaving me so unsettled that I wanted to avoid such experiences in the future. Standing on a stage and speaking, unimaginable!! I had proven to myself and everyone else that I couldn't do it... !!! Therefore, the profession of acting was out of the question for me. Two years later, I was forced onto the stage... thanks to a persistent teacher. I was supposed to play Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion (the theater version of My Fair Lady) as a school production. I was practically dying of fear just before it started, behind the curtain or in the wings (as the side area/entrance to the stage is called). However, on stage, after a few minutes, that fear and panic dissipated. I got into the flow and loved what I was doing. That's how I learned that I can love what I do and be highly nervous at the same time, even while people are watching. And it works!!! I made friends with stage fright because what drew me to the stage was greater than the fear. It was the love of acting, of stepping into a role. This desire was stronger and overshadowed the stage fright. At the same time, I knew that fighting against stage fright is pointless. Today, as a coach, I know that it's important to accept feelings, even the uncomfortable ones, as they will become quieter. A helpful strategy. Stage fright as an energetic boost How about viewing stage fright as your energetic boost, as your cocktail that puts you in an elevated state of excitement, enabling you to perform at your best? Your blood starts flowing, your senses sharpen, your concentration increases. However, now is not the time to freeze or flee, but to attack. Go on the offensive. Get to work. Start with your topic, your presentation. Just like a first date. Your heart is racing, everything tingles (okay, maybe in the case of stage fright, it's not butterflies, but rather annoying ants in your stomach). You fear not being liked or making a mistake. Positive excitement, like with stage fright, brings similar symptoms: sweaty hands, sweating, trembling voice (more or less, worst-case scenario it disappears), trembling body, dry mouth, fidgeting, etc. Admittedly, this seems unpleasant. Stage fright is not easily dismissed or switched off. However, you can learn to deal with it well. First, you must accept stage fright. Take it hand in hand onto the stage. It's your friend! Here, too, the inner attitude is crucial. It's completely okay and normal to be excited. You are in a special situation. Not an everyday event: You are giving a presentation, so it's worth being excited. (Admittedly, the limbic system may be a bit overreacting here... Stage fright arises from your projection We confuse the pressure we put on ourselves with the expectations of others. We might be stuck in a competitive mindset, seeing the audience as competitors or even enemies. Fearing the worst. But beware: These are self-made projections. They have nothing to do with reality. They are just fears, projections. It's much more likely that your listeners or audience are curious about what you're presenting. Why not be happy that people have gathered to hear and see you. Why choose fear over joy? The audience is usually well-disposed. There are no packs of wolves sitting there. So why the stress? Remember, 80% of your worries don't materialize. Ultimately, they are unfounded. And don't worry, a few small mistakes will be forgiven. What can you do to proactively use stage fright to your advantage? How can it become your friend? 1. First and foremost, thorough preparation is very helpful. Practice multiple times. Whether at home in your living room or in another room. But practice!!! Imagine people, even set up chairs for them and speak to the imagined audience as if they were really there. Speak loudly! 2. Learn the art of improvisation. This works when you work associatively. I am against rote memorization. Because this carries many dangers: like monotony, reciting the text like a broken record, or losing the thread more easily because you're not thinking along, but just reciting. (See the last blog post). 3. Focus, know your message, and know that it is the reason why you are speaking. It's not about you, about your ego. It's about your message, your task. It's more important than you. You are the medium, you are the messenger, the ambassador. You are on stage because of your content, your message. These should be your focus. But be careful, let's not misunderstand each other here, you are crucial for the success of the presentation, your non-verbal communication has a stronger impact than the content. But people have come to receive information, to take something away, not to witness your self-examination or self-presentation, literally. Being completely free of stage fright is not an alternative. Often, the cool ones are underwhelmed. They usually don't have the energy and charisma of those with stage fright. Be glad that your body is reacting to the special occasion. You are plugged in! The energy is there – let's go... and maybe you have already experienced that after a few minutes, the stage fright diminishes significantly. Preparation to keep stage fright under control: In addition to the content preparation, there is emotional preparation. Working with emotional memory is very helpful here. The emotional trigger helps the actor to immerse fully into the feeling and inner state of their character, so that the character they are playing becomes lively and authentic. Through this intense preparation, they focus on their task, in other words, the role. And indirectly, this diverts attention away from nervousness. Separate your feeling of nervousness from the speech. They are two different things. This can also be applied to all performances and presentations. You are not playing a character, but you will be delivering a speech in the role of a speaker. The emotional memory can also be helpful for you. Exercise: Loving hands on your shoulders Before the start of the presentation, find a quiet, safe place and mentally go to a powerful place or let yourself be accompanied by an important person in your life. Exercise loving hands: Place a calm and soothing hand of a loved one on your shoulder, feel it there, the size, the warmth, the intensity, the energy emanating from it. These preparations calm you down in advance, and then you can quickly recall them in the acute situation. If you tend to have heightened stage fright, establish and anchor a strengthening, calming moment; a sensory or emotional memory that helps you relax. The ability to consciously relax is very important, especially in such moments. This can also be practiced through regular