Ahhh, the dreaded thought of it – the sweaty palms, the racing heart, the mind going completely blank…
If this sounds all too familiar, you’re not alone.
Performance anxiety, or the fear of being judged or evaluated in front of others, is a common struggle that many of us face. In fact, Anxiety UK states that ‘the fear of public speaking, or Glossophobia, is acknowledged to be among the most common of all social anxieties’.
But here’s the thing – the fear of public speaking doesn’t have to hold back your public speaking confidence.
With the right mindset and self-care strategies, you can conquer that stage fright and shine in the spotlight, building your public speaking confidence.
Let’s dive in, shall we…
The Anxiety-Performance Connection
Public speaking confidence and general anxiety often go hand in hand with challenges to your public speaking confidence.
When we’re faced with the prospect of being the centre of attention, our bodies can react in all sorts of ways.
The heart may start pounding, the mouth can go dry, and the mind might race with a million “what-ifs.”
The ‘all eyes on me’ feeling can put the nervous system in full flight mode, and this response can begin to happen even just at the thought of it.
These are all perfectly normal physiological responses to perceived stress or threat.
The trouble is, when we’re in the throes of performance anxiety, these symptoms can become amplified to the point of overwhelm and interfere with our ability to deliver a confident, coherent presentation.
It’s a vicious cycle – the more anxious we feel, the worse our performance may become, which in turn fuels even more anxiety.
The face blushes, beads of sweat start to appear, the cycle continues.
But here’s the good news…
By addressing the root causes of your general anxiety, you can start to break this cycle and reclaim your public speaking confidence. And there’s a high chance this newfound confidence will spread out to all areas of life, not just on the stage or at the lectern.
Think of your stress management system as a bucket, the levels of which can rise and fall every moment of the day.
Yes, no one on this planet doesn’t have stress.
And yes, a lot of it comes down to perspective.
But your stress is no more or less than anyone else’s, regardless of the causes or the symptoms. Stress is stress, and the body and mind will react the same way in all instances.
Either Fight, Flight or Freeze (and probably all three).
So back to the bucket – when the levels remain, in general, at a low level, we have (what we therapists call) ‘Spare Capacity’: that air gap where new stress can come and occupy without raising levels to the brim and causing an inevitable overload.
Work on the stressors (reasons for distress) and the level eventually goes down and returns to a manageable baseline, helping build your public speaking confidence.
All is well. But…
In some people, when the general level of stress is hovering around the brim of the bucket, there may be little of that precious spare capacity to deal with an influx of new stress (be that negative or positive stress – we’ll look at ‘positive stress’ in another blog).
The level rises, it inevitably spills over, and we have a physical response to the mental overload – that thing we call a panic attack – an inability in that moment to deal with the overwhelming amount of actual and/or predictive stress in our lives.
Of course, at this point, we blame that one thing that fell into the bucket for finally causing the spill and pushing you towards the edge of overwhelm.
And yes, that did have an impact. But really, what we should ideally be looking to better is all the unresolved trauma stored from the stress accumulated throughout days gone by.
It ALL has an impact on public speaking confidence and will more than likely continue to until stuff gets sorted.
How Does The Stress Bucket Analogy Help?
Often it helps to look at stress objectively, as a whole, instead of a single event.
Whilst it’s important to deal with those immediate stressors that can raise day-to-day stress levels, it’s crucial to begin looking at the underlying stress hanging around like a damp fog in the back of our minds.
Stuff we aren’t thinking about at every moment, or if we’re skilled at storing negative life stuff in the dark recesses of our minds—that stuff tucked right at the back of the wardrobe.
Stress accumulates, as good as we might be at filing away the unresolved.
Self-Care for the Anxious Performer
One of the key ways to manage (or even better, reduce and remove) performance anxiety and public speaking confidence is through self-care practices.
When we’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, it’s easy to neglect the basics like getting enough sleep, eating well, and taking time to recharge. But these simple acts of self-compassion can begin to make a world of difference in terms of management.
If you can, try incorporating some of these self-care strategies into your routine with regularity:
- Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation. These can seem like a real bore and an “I don’t have time for that” default, but short, regular efforts can calm the mind and body in the face of anxiety. Those who persist reap many benefits.
- Engage in regular exercise to release endorphins and improve your overall sense of well-being. Even a brisk walk can do wonders. Getting outside, experiencing smiles from strangers, a bit of sun (hopefully), or the sound of rain on an umbrella can be uplifting.
- Make time for activities you enjoy, whether reading, listening to music, or spending time with loved ones. This helps maintain a healthy work-life balance. Find what works for you, keep it healthy, and schedule it into your day as best you can.
- Limit exposure to caffeine, alcohol, and other stimulants, as these can worsen anxiety symptoms. Some is okay, but too much will make it harder to calm your heart rate.
- Seek support from friends, family, or a mental health professional if managing anxiety on your own becomes difficult.
The Physiological Impacts
The effects of performance anxiety go beyond just the psychological.
Prolonged stress and anxiety take a toll on physical health.
When we’re in a state of heightened anxiety, our bodies enter “fight-or-flight” mode, releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. While helpful in the short term, chronic activation of this stress response, with elevated cortisol levels, can lead to physical symptoms such as:
- Headaches
- Muscle tension
- Digestive issues
- Fatigue
- Weakened immune system
- …and many more.
These physical symptoms can worsen performance struggles, creating a vicious cycle of stress and discomfort.
The Power of Public Speaking Confidence
So here’s the good news…
As you begin to improve your confidence by addressing underlying causes, you may notice a positive shift away from performance anxiety.
Feeling more in control of your thoughts and emotions can profoundly improve your ability to perform in many areas of life.
When you feel self-assured and comfortable in your own skin, you’re more likely to approach public speaking (or any opportunity) with ease and excitement rather than fear and dread.
Your body language becomes open and engaging, and your message is more likely to resonate with your audience.
Public speaking hypnotherapy can support you in building this confidence and reducing anxiety. Book a free discovery call today to see how hypnotherapy can help you shine on stage.
