Overcoming Nerves and Performance Anxiety

​​Understanding and Overcoming Nerves

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Nerves are a natural response to challenges, fuelled by adrenaline to help you perform at your best. However, when stress becomes overwhelming, cortisol—your body’s stress hormone—can take over, affecting your energy, self-esteem, and even physical health. Left unchecked, this can create a cycle of anxiety that undermines your confidence and effectiveness. Find out more about Cortisol HERE

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Through personalised therapy and coaching, we'll work to uncover the root causes of your anxiety—whether from early life experiences, inherited patterns, or other factors. With the right strategies, you can turn nerves into a powerful source of energy that enhances your performance.

 

The Challenge

 

Feeling Stuck or Overwhelmed?

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Do you struggle with:

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• vocal strain                      that limits your ability to perform

• performance anxiety         that holds you back on stage or in front of an audience

• nerves                             that get in the way of your true potential

• a sense                           that your voice isn’t reaching its full potential

 

Whether you’re a professional actor, singer, public speaker, or teacher, these challenges can feel daunting. But they’re also conquerable. You’re not alone in this journey.

 

Understanding the Root Causes

 

The pressures of professional voice use—frequent performances, stressful auditions, or balancing personal life—can take a toll on your voice and well-being, creating a cycle of tension and stress that hampers your performance.

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• Stage Fright and Performance Anxiety: Public speaking or performing can trigger a fight, flight, freeze, or flop response, causing your vocal mechanism to shut down and making it difficult to deliver your best performance.

• Nervous Energy: While nerves are natural, they can become overwhelming, leading to a drop in confidence and even physical symptoms that affect your voice.

• Impact on Your Professional Life: If left unaddressed, these issues can undermine your career, whether you’re presenting at work, teaching, or performing on stage.

 

Symptoms of nerves:

• racing pulse and rapid chest breathing

• dry mouth and tight throat preventing you from making a sound other than grunts

• trembling hands, knees, lips, and voice

• sweaty and cold hands

• nausea, knots, and an uneasy feeling in your stomach

• vision changes and dizziness

• even dissociation

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I Understand Your Challenges

 

As a performer myself, I recognise the unique pressures you face as a professional voice user. And I’ve experienced all the above symptoms, and, quite frankly, it’s frightening. The physical demands of frequent performances, the mental toll of audition stress, and the emotional impacts of personal life certainly affected my life, my voice, and overall well-being. Not to mention dealing with rejection.

 

If only you could control those nerves to get a more informed idea of where you went wrong. A distressed mind and body can create a cycle that hampers both your performance and your well-being. Together, we can break this cycle by addressing both your vocal and overall health.

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Breaking the Cycle

 

By identifying and addressing the root causes of your vocal challenges, you can regain control. Imagine turning your nerves into a source of energy that fuels your performance, or transforming stage fright into confidence that captivates your audience. You deserve to feel confident, empowered, and fully in control of your voice.

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Ready to Take the Next Step?

 

Understanding these challenges is the first step towards overcoming them. If any of these issues resonate with you, explore how bespoke vocal coaching can help you reclaim your voice and transform your performance whilst strengthening your resilience and a more positive outlook.​​