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Kanak Khatri, Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

 

I remember having wrecked nerves, sweats and a feeling almost equivalent to a heart attack, all because there was a class presentation and I had to speak in front of the class. In addition, at the time of this incident I was 25, not a teenager, and not in my awkward years. A fully grown adult who still had stage fright. Can anybody relate? Well, I did for almost 26 years of my life. I over-thought things so much that I focused more on what could go wrong than what the actual task was. However, I have overcome that when I never thought I could. I am sure everyone can.

 

It is natural to have performance anxiety and nervousness before an exam or a presentation. That’s what helps us put in more effort and get better results. However, if this anxiety is not within the limits of what is normal and it affects our performance, that is something we need to work on. And when I realised this was a problem for me and I needed to make changes, that’s when things started changing for me. Three things that helped me overcome my stage fright were exposure, being prepared and not shying away from uncomfortable encounters. Now, let me share how I overcame my stage fright.

 

Exposure: The initial step is to expose yourself to what gives you stage fright. For me, it was a fear of speaking in front of a crowd. I started by practicing in front of a friend who I was comfortable with initially, and then I started speaking in group discussions. I then moved to group presentations, and from there, individual presentations. One significant thing to remember is we can not overcome our fears if we keep shying away from them. The only way forward is to face what makes us uncomfortable.

 

Being Prepared: Preparing well for an exam or a song or a presentation is very much required. This will give you a sense of confidence. We also need to prepare ourselves to calm ourselves. Practicing meditation can help calm our nerves. Breathing exercises before a performance can also help loosen up nervous energy. If laughing relaxes you, do that. Make a whole routine of what works for you.

 

Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone: There has been more than one thing in my life that has given me performance anxiety. First it was public speaking, and now it is being interviewed. And that one thing is going to keep changing, depending on what stage of life I am in. However, knowing that I have overcome and learned to manage my anxieties in the past gives me confidence that I can take on the next challenge as well. Otherwise, imagine living a stagnant life where everything scares you and you can’t move on to the next phase of life. It’s part of our life lesson and journey to overcome and embrace changes. 

 

One more thing that gave me a perspective on overcoming my stage fright was realizing how other people around me felt in the same situations as me. They were equally, if not more anxious than I was, and it made me feel that I was not abnormal and not alone. The only difference I was fine feeling anxious and gave my hundred percent, and your confidence too just lies that differnce away.

 

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