What else can you do with speech anxiety besides worry? Readers of this blog will know that I’ve given you lots of ways to handle those feelings of panic, from addressing the symptoms with breathing, to mental exercises, to work on your unconscious fears, to embracing the feelings for the adrenalin that they signify.
But I know that, for sufferers of stage fright, or speech anxiety, the worries continue. So, to kick off 2015 in good form, here are five new ways to think about stage fright, based on recent research, that may help you master your fears.
1.You Appear More Trustworthy. Apparently, anxious people seem more trustworthy to us than everyone else. So go ahead and voice your anxieties – you’re building trust with your audience. I imagine this result comes from the gain in authenticity that comes from telling people what you’re really thinking. Much like Susan Cain did brilliantly in her hugely successful TED talk.
2.You Are Viewed More Positively Than You Realize. Your anxieties are causing you to think ‘train wreck’ but apparently everyone else is cutting you a break. So don’t worry so much! They think you’re better than you feel.
3.You Seem Less Anxious Than You Feel. A variant of #2, this bit of research demonstrates the oft-noticed reality that you look cooler than you feel. Inside, you’re quaking like a spy about to be discovered, but on the outside, you look as cool as James Bond. Indeed, clients often realize this fact when they see themselves on video. They’ll comment, “Oh, I didn’t look that scared!”
4.The News Is Almost Always Good. If you’re anxious, you’re probably dreaming up all the ways in which your presentation can go horribly wrong. Naturally most of those scenarios are not going to come true. So, paradoxically, life usually turns out better for the pessimist than the optimist, because the former is pleasantly surprised.
5.Anxiety Is Probably a Good Long-Term Survival Strategy. This is my favorite new research finding. Anxiety is probably good for the species, because it means that we’re thinking ahead, preparing for the worst, and – hopefully – avoiding the worst because we’ve prepped for it. OK, so this won’t help you much with your immediate anxiety, but it might be comforting to know that your worries are benefitting the species’ long-term survival outlook.
Enjoy these five news ways to worry less, or at least to appreciate your anxiety more. Here’s to a worry-free 2015.
I liked your suggestions. I am a teacher and need to work on my stage fright issues more. I use videos of my lectures sometimes to assess my emotional outlook in my class.