CONQUERING STAGE FRIGHT
Public speaking is said to be the biggest fear reported by many adults, topping flying, financial ruin, sickness, and even death. Your breath speeds up, your pulse races. Your throat tightens as your palms sweat. You feel sick to your stomach, and when you speak, your hands and knees shake along with your voice. These are common symptoms of stage fright , also known as performance anxiety. Millions of people experience the involuntary response when they’re faced with delivering a presentation or performing in front of others. This assumption of being judged arises from the spotlight effect -- the belief that people are paying more attention (especially negative attention) to you than they truly are. It’s an evolutionary holdover of the “fight or flight” response. In this case, your body perceives actual danger from becoming the focus of others' attention. Stage fright is normal, but that certainly doesn’t mean that it’s not harmful. Performance anxiety can