When it comes to performing in music, anxiety is extremely common. It’s normally referred to as ‘stage fright’ and most people would say that performance anxiety can have a very negative affect on you. It can prevent you from doing what you enjoy and can easily affect a musicians career if not handled/harnessed in a positive way. Worst of all, performance anxiety can negatively affect your self-esteem and self-confidence. Although it may be impossible to totally overcome performance anxiety, there are many things you can do to control your emotions and reduce anxiety according to BulletProofMusican.com.
According to the website, they believe that most musicians who are really effected by anxiety have never properly learned how to use the adrenaline that their body is producing to their advantage. Most people try to calm themselves down and others will tell them to just ‘relax’ which in actual fact is probably doing them a disservice. This is because they have now implicitly confirmed that anxiety or stress is a bad thing and should be feared and hidden away.
It is suggested that musicians welcome the rush of adrenaline and use that energy to power there performances and to perform with more freedom, conviction, and confidence.
Now this is obviously easier said than done but there is more than one way to channel your adrenaline in a positive way instead of letting your brain turn it into anxiousness.
Centering
Centering is what sport psychologists call a pre-performance routine. It was designed in the 1970’s by the renowned sport psychologist Dr. Robert Nideffer, and adapted for performing artists by Olympic sport psychologist Dr. Don Greene. Centering is a highly effective means of (a) channeling your nerves productively and (b) directing your focus even in extreme situations. Once mastered, it is very quick and highly effective, and will ensure that you begin each performance with a bang (in a good way)! (Taken directly from the website.)
https://bulletproofmusician.com/how-to-make-performance-anxiety-an-asset-instead-of-a-liability/
(The link above provides the seven steps on how to ‘center’ yourself and then later, how to practise centering.)
ZAKARIAH 