Beating the Nerves
First day on set, opening night, big audition or interview? Whenever something is important to us, when we have something at stake and feel we have something to lose, that’s when we tend to get hit by nerves.
When something matters to us, when there is a chance to prove ourselves, a possibility of failure, simple things become more difficult when stress gets involved.
Nerves, jitters, stage fright, performance anxiety, whatever you want to call it, they affect us all in different ways. Butterflies in the stomach, uncontrollable shaking, snappiness, twitching, headache, feeling sick (being sick), sudden bladder weakness, panic – when your mind empties itself of all those lines you definitely knew, pounding heart bear and shortness of breath.
But how can you beat the nerves, here are a few tips:
The first thing is to understand nerves. When we become nervous, we are flooded with epinephrine from the adrenal glands. It fills our system, but this process starts off in the mind, where nervousness begins.
Under other circumstances, this adrenal dump would be useful for focusing the mind, and giving you a sudden burst of energy to get you away from danger.
No actor is immune to nerves, no matter what they say. The first time they audition for Richard, Kathryn or James, they will be.
Controlling the nerves is important before you damage your chances.
Coach yourself, tell yourself that nerves are totally normal and natural and that you understand what is happening and why.
Focus on achieving your action, task, objective or goal, if you go after it with 200% effort, your attention will be taken by the task ahead and your mind will be distracted from what is causing the nerves.
If you find yourself focusing on negative thoughts and self criticism, you need to take a breath, and swap your negative statements for positive ones. Change “oh god, this isn’t going how I planned it’ to “oh good, this isn’t going how I planned. Now I can show what I can really do in the moment”.
Breathe. Breath is the key to remaining calm and relaxed and focused. Slow, deep breaths will avoid hyperventilation, but don’t forget to breathe normally again every now and again. If the nerves are really bad, then slowly exhale all your breath, really empty them. Then inhale slowly to the count of 8. Exhale to 8 and inhale to 8, repeat until calm.
Having a solid technique for auditions and performance can build confidence and reassure you. If you know what you’re doing, there’s less reason to be nervous.