Getridofstagefright 　　Havingstagefrightwhenyouareabouttoperform?Don’tworry,youarenotalone.Notmanypeopleknowthatevenfamousprofessionalsingersalsogetstagefrightnowandthen.BoutsofterriblestagefrightpreventedthegreatBarbaraStreisandfromperformingliveformanyyears. 　　Thegoodnewsisthatyoucanconquerstagefrightandgetridofitpermanently.Yes,youcanbanishthefearofperforminginfrontofyouraudience.BarbaraStreisanddid,didn’tshe? 　　Putitintocontext,stagefrightisonlyamentalconditionforthefearoftheunknown.Yes,itisthebasichumanfear,sortofasurvivalinstinct.Stagefrightisaverycommonaffliction.Itaffectsallsingerstovaryingdegreeswhentheygoonstagetosinginfrontofanaudience.Itisaknownfactthatmanypeoplefearpublicspeakingmorethandeath,whatmoreasingingperformance? 　　Therewillalwaysbemanyquestionsracingthroughyourmindbeforeeachperformancesuchas'Omigosh,Ihaveasorethroattoday,howbadlywillitaffectmysinging?WillIsingoutoftuneoroutoftime?Howwilltheaudiencereacttomyperformance?'Thisiswhenyouwillbreakoutincoldsweatandbecomefrigidwithstagefright. 　　Asanswerstothesequestionscannotbeknownuntilafteryourperformance,yougetevenmorestressedupwithanxietyandfearweighinheavilyonyou.Thesenegativeselftalkwillcompoundyourfearsevenfurther! 　　Howtoconquerstagefright 　　Icallthesefearsasirrationalfears.Why?Itisbecauseallyourfearsareabouteventsthatmayormaynotoccurinthefuture.Youarefearingsomethingwhichisnotevenhappeningormayonlyhappenandmostprobablywillnothappen. 　　Sowhyletsomethingwhichisnothappeningatallgiveyoustagefright?Hey,whyfretwhennomatterhowmuchyouwreckyourmind,youwillneverfindanyanswersuntilafteryoursingingperformance? 　　Stagefrightfeartriggersafightorflightresponseproducinghormonalchangesinyourbody,makingyourbodyrigid,shuttingdowndigestivesystemandincreasingyourheartrate.Thisdefinitelyisnotanidealconditionforsinging. 　　Byharboringthenegativethoughts,yourimaginedconditionsmayactuallybringyourstagefrightintorealityandmakeyoufreezeoveronstage. 　　Youdoknowthatstressandanxietiescanaffectyourvoice,personaandperformanceinadetrimentalwayandthatwillcompoundyourfearevenfurther. 　　Oneofthebestwaystoovercomeandconquerstagefrightistobementallyandphysicallywellprepared.Havingknownthatyouhavepracticedyoursongsandperformancethoroughlywillgiveyoutheconfidenceandresolvetotaketothestageandflauntyoursingingtalent. 　　Anotherwaytoovercomestagefrightistotakeyourmindoffit.Easiersaidthandone?Well,whatbetterwaytotakeyourmindawayfromyourirrationalfearsthandoingwarmingupvocalexercises.Iknowthatmanysingersdonotevenbotherwarmuptheirvocalcordsbeforeaperformance.Howcanasingersingeffortlesslywithoutwarminguptheirinstrument,inthiscase,thevocalcordproperly? 　　Warmingupbeforeaperformancenotonlytakesyourmindawayfromthestressandirrationalfears,italsohelpsyouhitthenoteseasierandprotectyourvocalcordfromdamages,sometimes,evenpermanentdamage. 　　Justasimportantaswarmingupistocooldownyourvoiceafteraperformanceasyourvocalfoldsare