How to stop stage fright and perform. How to learn to speak in front of an audience if you are an introvert. Get ready for a positive outcome

This question, in its scale, is comparable to such eternal questions of mankind as, for example, “How to become happy?” or "What is the meaning of life?" It is impossible to answer such questions in a few words, this is a whole path, science and art, and hundreds of books, trainings and dissertations are devoted to answering this question. In a few words, it is only possible to designate this path, to show the direction of movement. Strictly speaking, in this topic there are also quick “tricks” that relieve an acute attack of excitement and stress, which is also good, but they are momentary and transient, like medicines that relieve symptoms, but do not cure the disease.

Therefore, in short, but conceptually, the achievement of confidence in public consists of three main “pillars”. Whales are the basic ingredients that underlie this art, without which the human soul world will stagger like a building on a bad foundation during an earthquake. Each whale bears its part of the load, as the Atlanteans hold the Hermitage building, and ideally, all three components should be strong and well developed. If any of the components weakens, an increased load falls on other supports and the building of confidence already begins to stagger.

1st component - high and independent self-esteem. Self-esteem is the main quality of a person, in other words, it is the degree of self-acceptance, self-respect, the degree of unconditional self-love, the inner dignity of a person. Self-esteem develops in childhood and adolescence, and its level depends on how the world and the environment treated the growing personality. If the world, society, peers, environment, parents did not feed the emerging self-esteem with unconditional love, demanded more than gave, criticized more than praised, punished more than rewarded, then the degree of self-respect for him is formed low. Such self-esteem is like a stunted flower that has not been watered enough. If the environment did not yet allow this and did not allow a step to be taken independently, crushing attempts to freely express oneself, forcing one to adapt to the correct opinion, then dependence on the assessment of other people is ensured in adult life.

Unfortunately, many elements of our upbringing are aimed at aligning the individual to generally accepted standards, to the only correct morality and attitudes and beliefs accepted in society, therefore a truly high and independent self-esteem is very rare among people.

However, it is still possible to educate yourself and influence self-esteem in adulthood, so learning to truly love yourself, cultivating your inner dignity and independence from the assessment and judgments of other people is one of the important tasks for achieving full self-confidence.

The second component is the management of the psychological state. No matter how high self-esteem is, even strong personalities have moments of weakness, inner trembling and vile excitement in responsible situations. It is no longer possible to hold out here on one old foundation. Situations of psychological pressure, tough negotiations, increased public attention - all these are situations of testing that require additional internal work. There are a number of techniques and methods here, but all of them are aimed at the main thing - the mood for a “state of strength”, absolute confidence, inner comfort, in trainings we call this “the state of the Master”.

We experience the state of the Owner when something belongs to us - these are our things, space, business, and the good people around, and the street, and the city and the whole planet belong to the real Owner in life. This state contains both love for oneself and people, and inner comfort, and confidence, and independence from the opinions of the environment, and a sense of inner strength. In a situation of attention, this state often goes away, because the situation of evaluation is an uncomfortable situation and the person falls into a state of non-host. Therefore, it is important to remember, return, cultivate the state of the Master, tune in to it again when it leaves.

A necessary condition for achieving the state of the Master is the ability to manage one's own concentration of attention, the ability to turn on volitional qualities, to do certain mental work. One of the reasons for the excitement in public is the subconscious desire to like it, to get a good mark from the public, to delight other people with its greatness. It is known that where attention is, there is energy. And when the energy of attention is directed to self-assessment, whether I like it or not, to the harmful question “how do I look” - a person begins to look even worse. Because an acute desire to look better fetters a person and makes him unnatural. Therefore, it is important to displace this internal harmful question, to redirect the energy of attention to business, i.e., to focus not on the harmful question “how do I look” and “what will they think”, but on the assessment of the partners themselves or the public, what and how they say, on own speech, energy, content. The real Owner does not think about himself at this moment, he already knows that he is “OK”, that he should return to this, he puts his attention to the business he is busy with. And there is an interesting paradox - the less you want to please the public, the more you like, because you behave naturally and confidently.

Once the great Pele was asked by journalists about the excitement:

How can you not be afraid to play football with such a crowd?

He answered like this:

If I think about the audience, I will forget where to roll the ball.

Those who are engaged in business forget to be afraid. This is the main law of a confident inner state and behavior in public. If there is no active work or speech influence yet, the Master studies, explores the world. If there are people in front of me - well, we will study people, this is also a necessary thing. Study and research is also an action, only a mental action.

3rd component - liberation of the body. What's the point? The following principle works here - psychological stress leads to muscle clamps in the body, since our psyche, mental state and body always work in a complex and one is inseparable from the other. This mechanism is often evident in public as well, when a person holds himself unnaturally, strums, or when the speaker is constrained, tense, clutches the back of a chair, taps his feet on the floor, or frantically gesticulates with his hands. Constraint is a typical psychological and bodily clamp, even the word itself comes from the word "cramped".

Moreover, residual clamps and tensions are also present in ordinary life, even if no one is looking at us and even if we ourselves do not feel them. Therefore, the principle “relaxed body - relaxed mind” is used here. If you truly relax and first release the muscle clamps in the body, then this will also affect the relaxation of mental and psychological tension, including in people. Therefore, it is very important in the process of communicating with the public to control your muscle tensions and blocks, to be able to relax and release them.

The topic of body freedom is devoted to practices and trainings for the removal of muscle clamps, deep bodily blocks, the formation, on the one hand, of a relaxed body, but, on the other hand, completely assembled - for a quick response in case of vital necessity, like in athletes or animals. Also, all body-oriented practices, meditative-relaxing techniques and auto-trainings, free breathing, “dirty” and not so dancing, as well as a number of acting practices related to stage movement are also devoted to releasing the body from tension.

I want you to be the master of your life!

Public speaking is an art. But what if you not only do not know how to speak in front of an audience, but are also afraid of it? Glosophobia, or fear of public speaking (stage fright) is in second place in popularity after the fear of death. Its causes can have a variety of roots: from before childhood. But it is possible to overcome the glossophobia. And this was proved by such famous people as Jim Carrey, Benedict Cumberbatch, Megan Fox. Yes, they were stage fright too. And not only them.

The most popular reason is. If you have never spoken in public before, then the fear is quite understandable. It's just unfamiliar to you, it still lies outside your borders. There is no other option but to try, to force yourself to speak in public, to expand your comfort zone. Always challenge yourself to ask for public speaking yourself when you decide you need to learn how to do it. The more often you perform, the easier it will be. You will gain experience. As a result, fear will go away, only pleasant excitement and emotional upsurge will remain.

Another possible reason is an unsuccessful performance and, as a result, a psychotrauma. This is more difficult to deal with, but try to analyze previous experience. What exactly caused the failure? What exactly happened? Compare your old self with your old self. I think these people are clearly different. Perhaps the new you has all the tools to ensure that the previous experience does not repeat itself.

Thus, the cause of the fear of speaking can be:

• fixation on their experiences, on their fear;
• unsuccessful previous experience, memories of it;
• poor preparation for the performance;
• lack of experience.

Well, self-doubt, shyness, shyness, and much more completes the picture. What are the ingredients in your glosophobia cocktail?

How to speak in front of an audience

First of all, change your attitude towards fear. Stop seeing it as a barrier and start seeing it as an opportunity. The fact is that fear and excitement make our body work at full capacity at the psychophysiological level. We become faster, stronger, smarter and more agile. Realize that excitement accelerates the blood throughout the body, due to which you can analyze information faster, speak faster, choose words faster and more accurately. You can be much more productive if you let your worry help you instead of treating it with even more fear.

The speaker always looks more pleasant who does not hide behind the podium and does not read from a piece of paper. But this is the height of art, and, of course, as long as the fear of performing is alive, this will not work.

Fear Overcoming Exercises

Preparation is the main way to get rid of fear. But it's nice to add some more techniques to it.

To normalize the neurohormonal state, it is useful to load yourself physically. Push up, squat, run, wave your arms. And the body is useful, and "anti-fear" will be developed, in other words, endorphins - hormones of anti-stress and happiness. But do not do this just before the performance, your breathing should be normal, and your appearance should be neat.

Visualization

Imagine and play in your head the upcoming performance in front of an audience. Feel it with each of your primary senses. Imagine every detail, the more precise the better. Imagine the attentive glances of the listeners, the exchange of energy. Imagine only successful and pleasant. Imagine the most successful scenario: how you joke, how positively the audience reacts to it, how skillfully you answer unexpected and difficult, and even tricky, questions.

self-hypnosis

Before you go on stage (speak), say a few phrases:

• I'm glad I'm here.
• I'm glad you're here.
• I am confident in my knowledge.
• I know and understand what I want to talk about.
• I like you.
• Do you like me.

There is only one way to overcome fear - to train. And, of course, you need to remember that 90% of the success of a performance depends on preparation. with people, learn to understand them, learn to control yourself. Work on your confidence and Break down your fear into sub-points and solve them.

Fear of public speaking may be a natural reaction of the body, but with the regular occurrence of anxiety conditions, accompanied by certain symptoms, there is specific mental disorder.

In psychological and psychiatric practice, such a disorder is referred to as "glossophobia".

This phobia is mandatory correction special exercises and seeking help from a psychologist. Otherwise, the phobic state can create many difficulties in life.

What is the name of the phobia?

The fear of public speaking is called "glossophobia".

There is a definite line between the natural fear of the public and the phobia.

In the first case, anxiety occurs before a responsible performance, and differ temporary in nature.

With glossophobia, an excessive sense of fear accompanies a person, regardless of the importance of the upcoming event. Difficulties can arise even if it is necessary to voice any information in front of several people.

What are the manifestations?

glossophobia has specific symptoms. This phobic state manifests itself before the need for public speaking, regardless of the number of listeners and the duration of the report.

The feeling of anxiety arises long before the upcoming event, persists at the moment of contact with the audience and becomes the cause of a nervous shock.

Numerous factors can be the object of concern. The glossophobic is overly afraid of criticism, ridicule from people, shortcomings in his appearance or professional skills.

Features of glossophobia:

How to get rid of social phobia? you will find on our website.

Kinds

In psychiatric and psychological practice stands out several types of glossophobia. The symptomatology of these states differs to a small extent, but the objects of fears are different.

The definition of a specific form of phobia is necessary to find the most effective methods of dealing with the problem. In some cases, only a qualified specialist can do this.

glossophobia may appear in the following forms:

• Peiraphobia (fear of the public);
• verbophobia (fear of oral speech);
• lalophobia (fear of stuttering or speech disorders).

Why do people get stage fright?

With glossophobia, the fact is not excluded genetic predisposition.

This nuance characterizes the predominant number of phobias.

If parents suffer from a fear of public speaking, then the child may have a phobic condition at the genetic level or imposed by the behavior of adults.

For example, if the baby sees how mom or dad too much worry before the report, then a sense of potential danger can provoke the development of glossophobia.

Possible causes of glossophobia can be the following factors:

How to overcome the fear of open space? Read about it in ours.

Symptoms and signs

Glossophobia provokes a certain biological reaction. The degree of intensity of the symptoms of a phobic state depends on the individual characteristics of the psyche.

In the presence of severe forms, a phobia can cause disruption of the internal organs.

Somatic signs in this case will be supplemented vegetative traits.

If a glossophobe has serious neurotic deviations, then the fear of public speaking can cause a panic attack.

Before the performance and before it begins, the glossophobe the following states appear:

• redness or pallor of the skin;
• nervous gestures;
• violation of intestinal tone;
• inadequate laughter;
• excessive sweating;
• dry mouth;
• an attack of nausea;
• acceleration of the heart rate;
• voice trembling;
• strong muscle tension;
• fainting state;
• change in facial expressions;
• feverish state;
• increased blood pressure;
• feeling of "lump" in the throat;
• violations of speech and voice timbre;
• involuntary urination;
• tremor or numbness of the limbs.

What difficulties does it create in life?

Glossophobia can become cause of many problems In human life.

An important role is played by the age at which the symptoms of this phobic condition manifested themselves.

If the fear of public speaking has arisen in a child or adolescent, then in the absence of timely psychological correction, there may be serious complications relating to the psycho-emotional state and self-realization.

Consequences glossophobia can be the following factors:

• poor performance at school and college;
• excessive isolation and shyness;
• lack of prospects in professional activity;

How to overcome fear?

Ways to overcome glossophobia include several stages and techniques. The best way to deal with this phobic condition is to seeking help from a psychologist or a psychotherapist.

Specialists will not only identify the exact causes of the phobia, but also select individual methods for eliminating the problem.

You can add a course of therapy exercises which are carried out at home and are aimed at increasing self-esteem, developing personal qualities and correcting the psycho-emotional state.

In the treatment of glossosophobia, the following can be used methods:

• hypnosis (one of the most effective ways);
• individual and group sessions with a psychologist;
• drug therapy (in the presence of neurotic disorders).

What to do if you are afraid to speak in front of an audience?

It is necessary to go through four stages of working on your fears - awareness of the problem that has arisen, a phased analysis of the factors that provoked the phobia, the search and development of ways to eliminate fear, consolidating the result and testing skills in practice.

This effect is achieved with the help of special exercises and techniques.

How to overcome fear of doctors? you will find on our website.

Exercise at home

There are several methods self-esteem and eliminating the fear of public speaking, which can be done at home.

These methods are effective with a mild degree of manifestation of the phobia.

If serious psychological trauma or neurotic disorders have become the cause of glossophobia, then it will be almost impossible to deal with them without the help of a specialist.

Examples workouts:

• regular rehearsals in front of a mirror or loved ones;
• awareness of the importance of the upcoming performance (for oneself or others);
• drawing up a clear plan for the speech and the maximum study of its topic;
• work on facial expressions and gestures (in front of the mirror at the time of rehearsal);
• playing various situations that may arise during the performance;
• increasing one's own self-esteem (search for the maximum number of virtues).

How to overcome the fear of public speaking? 5 powerful tricks:

How to deal with stage panic?

If the fear of public speaking occurs regularly, then before them you can take sedatives(at the right dosage).

It is more difficult to deal with the panic that manifested itself on stage immediately at the time of the report, but some tips will help relieve tension.

The maximum efficiency of such methods is achieved with the ability to control your imagination. This technique is recommended to master necessarily in the presence of phobic conditions.

When performing, you must do the following:

1. Identification of the public configured positive and friendly(on such people it is necessary to concentrate the attention during performance).
2. If the fear of public speaking is accompanied by numbness or tremor of the limbs, then it is necessary pretend to be wet, and then "shake off the water."
3. Help relieve stress correct breathing(at the time of manifestation of a phobia, breathing is most often disturbed, its normalization creates a sedative effect).
4. Can introduce someone close to you among the public and concentrate on his "presence" (if you imagine that the listener of the report is a person you trust, then anxiety may not arise).

The presence of glossophobia can be suspected even by a person who has a significant successful public speaking experience. The feeling of anxiety before contact with the public is experienced even by famous speakers and public figures.

It is important to understand the line between a mental disorder and a normal reaction to an important event. If signs of a phobia appear regularly, then it is necessary to be examined by a psychologist.

secrets public speaking. Oratory. Psychologist's advice:

Are you afraid of public speaking? You are not alone. It's completely normal to experience stage fright when you have to give a speech. Fortunately, it is possible to overcome fear in order to speak effectively in front of an audience. First, build your confidence by carefully understanding the topic and preparing your speech. Then try using relaxation techniques to help you manage your anxiety. Finally, face your fears so you can let them go. If public speaking is still hard for you, sign up for a public speaking course or contact someone who can help you.

Steps

Build Your Confidence

Get good at your topic. The fear of forgetting something or saying something wrong is quite natural. The best way to overcome it is to prepare. Read the information on your topic to study it well. If you have time, look for documentaries or videos online to help you deepen your knowledge.

• When choosing a topic, try to give preference to an already familiar topic.
• If you're short on time, do a web search and read the first few sources that show up in the search results. Most importantly, make sure these sources are .

1. Write a speech to get an idea of ​​what you want to say. It is not necessary to record the speech word for word, but it is helpful to sketch out what you are going to say. Add a short introduction about yourself and your topic. Then write paragraphs where you will explain the main points and argue them. End with a conclusion that tells the audience what to take away from your speech.

   • Don't strive for perfection. Edits can be made during rehearsal.

   Another variant: For a quick and easy solution, plan your speech. Write down the main points that you are going to cover, as well as evidence or arguments in support of them. You can even use this plan as notes during your presentation.

   Prepare a plan or note cards as cheat sheets. It's a good idea to have notes with you when you're speaking to refresh your memory if you ever forget what to say. But don't make these notes too long or you'll get confused. It is better to include the main elements of speech in the plan or cards. This way you can quickly look down and see a key term that will remind you what to say. Here is an example of a speech plan about recycling:

   • I. Garbage does not accumulate in landfills
     • A. Less trash
     • B. Landfills last longer
   • II. Saves resources
     • A. Used for new products
     • B. Reduces the use of raw materials
   • III. Gives voice to consumers
     • A. Can choose recycled products
     • B. Brands meet consumer needs

2. Practice your speech in front of a mirror before speaking. Most likely, you have heard the saying: “The work of the master is afraid,” and it is so. You may not deliver the perfect speech, but practice will help you feel confident when you present yourself in front of an audience. To begin, read the speech aloud to yourself. When you're ready, give a speech in front of a mirror.

   • If the speech is limited in time, start a stopwatch during rehearsal. Then make adjustments if you need to increase or decrease the length of your speech.
   • First, just listen to your voice. Feel the sound of your speech and make adjustments as needed.
   • Stand in front of a mirror and rehearse gestures or facial expressions. See what suits you.

3. Record yourself on video to improve the quality of your performance. Use a camcorder or mobile phone to film yourself speaking. Imagine that the phone is an audience, so gesticulate and change facial expressions. Then review the speech and look for elements that could be improved. Do this several times to build your confidence.

   • Don't worry about the quality of the video or anyone else seeing it. This video is just for you.

4. Give a speech to family or friends before doing so in public. Choose people who are able to honestly point out your shortcomings, but at the same time give you sincere support. Then deliver the speech as if you were speaking to an audience. Ask them what they liked about the speech and if there is anything that needs to be improved.

   • If you're really worried, start with one person. Then gradually increase the number of viewers.

   Deal with stage fright

   1. Smile to quickly release endorphins (happiness hormones). The easiest way to calm down is to smile, even if it's fake. When we smile, the body naturally releases endorphins that boost our mood. Fake a smile or remember something funny to immediately feel better.

      • Try to remember a scene from your favorite comedy. Or repeat a joke you like.
      • If possible, look at your favorite memes on your phone to bring a natural smile to your face.

   2. Breathe deeply to help the body relax. Inhale slowly through your nose to the count of 5. Then hold your breath for 5 seconds. Finally, exhale slowly for a count of 5. Do 5 sets to calm down.

      • If you are already on the threshold of the stage, just take a deep breath, pulling the air into your stomach. Then exhale through your mouth.
      • Deep breathing will release tension in your body and help you calm down quickly.

   3. Place your hand on your forehead to ease the fight-or-flight response. Stage fright can trigger a fight-or-flight response that causes the body to naturally direct blood to the arms and legs. However, you can redirect blood flow back to your head by placing your palm on your forehead. By doing this, you signal the body to send blood up. This will help you focus your thoughts on your speech.

      • Blood enters the extremities during the fight-or-flight response because the body is anticipating exercise.
      • You should feel calmer after a few minutes.

   4. Visualize how you give an amazing speech. Through visualization, you will feel like you have actually experienced what you imagined. Close your eyes, and then picture in your mind how you are speaking. Imagine that you are doing a great job and that everyone is delighted with your speech. Then visualize yourself wrapping up your speech and walking away to applause.

      • This will help you relax because it will give you a sense of potential success.

   5. Replace negative thoughts with positive self-talk. It's natural to get nervous before a performance, but most likely your thoughts are far from the truth. When you notice a negative thought, stop and acknowledge it. Then question its plausibility and replace it with a positive one.

      • Let's say you catch yourself thinking, "I'm going to look stupid on stage." Challenge yourself by asking yourself, “Why do I think this way?” or "What can go wrong?" Then say to yourself, “I am well prepared for the presentation, so I am sure that I will look competent.”

   6. Whenever possible, practice public speaking in a relaxed atmosphere. The best way to reduce anxiety is to exercise more, but that's hard to do if you're scared. Start small by speaking to friends, local clubs, or small groups in class or at work.

      • For example, you can search groups for speakers on Meetup.com.
      • Offer to do a short presentation at a local children's camp or school club.

   1. List specific anxieties that cause you fear. Write down your worries or say them out loud to analyze. For example, perhaps you are afraid of saying the wrong thing or looking stupid. Be as specific as possible about what makes you nervous.

      • As a rule, people worry that they will be judged, that they will make a mistake or make a bad impression.

   2. Deal with your worries by listing the possible consequences. Ask yourself how likely it is that your fear will come true. Then imagine how your speech will go. Think of positive things that could happen. Most likely, this will help you realize that your fears are unlikely to come true.

      • Suppose you are worried that you will forget the words. You can remind yourself that you know the topic well and that you will have note cards handy to help you refresh your memory if necessary. Then draw a picture in your mind of how you use the note card while speaking.
      • If what you are afraid of actually happened to you, ease your anxiety by thinking about what measures you have taken so that it does not happen again. For example, remind yourself that you have carefully prepared and rehearsed for your speech.

   3. Remind yourself that the audience wants you to succeed. It may seem that the audience is there to judge you, but that is not the case. People came to hear you speak and get information they can use. They want you to succeed, so they are on your side. Think of them as a support group.

      • Think about how you feel when you go to see someone else perform. Are you hoping that the person will perform poorly? Are you looking for mistakes or are you judging him for looking flustered? Most likely no.

   4. Mix with the audience before the performance to reduce fear. Walk around the room and introduce yourself to people. Try to get to know as many of those present as possible. This will help you feel like you're part of the group, which will take some of the pressure off.

      • You can stand at the door and greet people when they come in.
      • Don't worry if you can't meet everyone.
      • You may feel more confident during a speech if you look into the eyes of people with whom you have spoken in advance. However, it is not necessary to do so.

   Get more help

   1. Sign up for a public speaking course to learn how to give a good speech. Public speaking is a skill that most people should master. Look for courses online or at your local library, community center, or university. You will learn how to prepare for a speech, how to present it beautifully, and get tips on how to captivate your audience.

      • If you're trying to improve your skills for the job, look for courses designed for business or professional public speaking. You may even be able to convince your employer to send you to a professional seminar or training.

   2. Work with a psychologist to help overcome heightened public speaking anxiety. In such a situation, it is quite normal to seek help, and stage fright can be overcome. The psychologist will teach you cognitive-behavioral strategies for confronting and coping with anxiety. You will learn to recognize the thoughts and behaviors that cause stage fright. The specialist will tell you what you need to change to cope with fear. In addition, with the help of a psychologist, you will discover new ways for yourself to relax before a performance.

      Ask your doctor for sedatives if nothing else works for you. And while you probably don't need medication, it can sometimes be helpful to help you deal with stage fright. Talk to your healthcare provider to see if this option is right for you. Then take the drug before the performance to keep calm.

How to stop being afraid of public speaking? - a topical issue for people of all ages and professions. For the first time, we are faced with the need to speak to a serious audience already at the institute or at work. And if at school, speaking in front of classmates gave you discomfort, and you caught yourself thinking - “I'm afraid to do this,” then work assignments where you need to convey certain information to professionals most likely terrify you.

But all this fear of public speaking is only in our head, so you can easily get rid of it by first explaining to yourself how it arises and what ways to overcome it exist.

The excitement before performing on stage is different, but we feel the same state, which is extremely difficult to overcome: hands and knees are shaking, the mouth dries up, the voice sounds as if from the outside, the audience turns into one frightening mass. To understand why fear controls us so much and how to deal with it, let's find out its causes.

Perhaps the very first and underestimated reason that provokes the fear of public speaking begins in childhood. When a small child speaks loudly for the first time in a public place, the parent will silence him. In the future, this will be the explanation of why a person has a phobia to express thoughts loudly in front of an audience.

When the voice is clamped, it leads to excitement, and ultimately to fear. To add fuel to the fire, of course, will not be forgotten by school teachers who belittle abilities, and classmates who can hurt feelings without thinking about the consequences. These moments are the causes of social phobias, including provoking fear of public speaking.

The second reason why fearless public speaking bypasses us has to do with the psychological component of fear. In the past, fear was synonymous with danger. I felt cold - I tried to warm up faster, went to the edge of the abyss - I was afraid of heights and walked away. Under the influence of everyday stresses: work, study, economic and political changes in society, the instinct of self-preservation has undergone changes. As a result, we begin to worry in unjustified situations, including before performing on stage. The reasons that awaken this fear in us are the following:

• Fear of people as such due to low social activity.
• Fear of saying stupid things or making a reservation.
• Constantly winding up the idea that the audience is negatively disposed towards you, and will closely evaluate the performance.

Another reason is not having the information necessary for the performance. And the last one is agoraphobia, or the fear of crowds. Unlike the fear of people, which is written above, this fear is deeper, and people do not even realize that they are afraid of large crowds of people and suffer from this type of phobia.

Why you shouldn't be afraid to perform on stage

Having understood the sources of the formation of a phobia for stage performances, you must first convince yourself that this fear does not exist, that we start to worry in vain.

The main point on the way to overcoming fear that you need to realize and feel is that public speaking is an opportunity to prove yourself from the best side and evaluate your skills in working with an audience. This is important because every day, at work or school, we communicate with people, and when this discomfort brings us, our productivity drops, our mood deteriorates, etc.

Fearless public speaking is the key to your self-confidence. By training skills by presenting information in front of other people, you bring actions to automatic execution, and over time you will no longer feel uncomfortable when communicating with people. We summarize the useful aspects that can be obtained from performing on stage:

• Experience in communicating with a large audience, which will help develop communication skills.
• In the process of preparation, you will deepen your knowledge related to the topic of the speech.
• At work conferences or student summits, your speech will be noticed by influential figures, which may do you a favor in the future.
• With proper preparation for reports, soon your speech will become more literate.

How to overcome stage fright

If you apply the above tips too late - the performance is already on the nose, and the phobia haunts you, and you cannot get rid of it, then use the following tricks:

• Relax. When the body is tense, you involuntarily want to shrink and not be the center of attention. Relax your body so as not to reinforce psychological discomfort with physical tension.
• Your posture on stage should be confident: both feet are on the ground, arms are not in a closed position, and your back is straight. Place your supporting leg forward for stability. This will allow blood circulation to circulate better, deliver more oxygen to the brain cells, and you will become less worried.
• It is important to normalize breathing so that the body is not under stress. To do this, inhale, count to 4, then exhale sharply. Repeat 10 times.
• If you feel that your voice breaks with excitement, do speech exercises in advance. Tell the speech without opening your mouth. Speak the letters as clearly and expressively as possible. This exercise will relax the muscles of the face and larynx and help to cope with anxiety. Take water with you, otherwise at the wrong moment you will lose your voice and have to interrupt the performance.
• If a fearless public speech for no reason is accompanied by trembling in the knees, then try mentally directing attention to them. Or fool your brain and consciously make your knees tremble. After that, the trembling often stops.
• Make eye contact with your listeners to keep in touch with them. This is how you show that the performance is aimed at their interest and feedback.
• If you make a mistake, the right decision is not to focus on it, and continue speaking. In addition to the task of presenting information, it is important to be able to focus on the main thing. Therefore, if you succinctly omit the error, none of the listeners will even notice it.

The recommendations in this article will help overcome fear, and fearless public speaking will become a constant companion of stage performances. You will never say - "I'm afraid to perform on stage, I can't handle it." When you feel confident in front of an audience for the first time, you will realize that in life you have become much more liberated, and the phobia that haunts you has receded.