Expert: Wanda Reinholdt - 12/11/2009

Question
I can sing fine around my family and friends or when Im by myself but as soon as I get in front of people my nerves just began to take over. I love to sing and Im good at it but I just cant understand why Im so nervous.

Answer
Hi there, Destiny...Thanks for writing and asking this question.  

There could be many things going on in your body, mind and spirit that are causing the nerves.  So let's start with a couple of the most obvious:

1.  What is your mind thinking when you go up there in front of people?  What are you saying to yourself?  For e.g. Oh my goodness!  There are hundreds of people out there and I am going to make a fool of myself.  - this kind of thinking will not help you at all and will bring the nerves up.

2.  What is happening to your breathing when you go up?  Do you continue to breathe deeply and to relax or are you breathing more shallow and tensing up?


What the mind is saying and what the breathing is doing are the most common reasons why nerves take over.  Usually by changing the way you think about a performance and relaxing with deep breathing, a performance can take on a whole new look and feel.


Does that help you?

Wanda

P.S. I have always loved the name "Destiny".  It is so good to finally meet someone with that name.  :)