A particular feature of anxiety or fear is that it ' feeds off itself' and becomes stronger even though the situation or task hasn't changed. Before any performance your body will almost always produce adrenalin. The natural way that your body prepares you for a challenging event( even a pleasurable one) includes many of the symptoms that remind you of fear. Stage fright is actually a good thing and if understood and controlled can enhance your performance!

There are some ways to try and think of stage fright in a positive way. Adrenalin is your friend.
- It makes your reflexes sharper.
- It heightens your level of awareness
- It gives you extra energy.
- It adds an excitement to your performance

When you are nervous about performing you are more conscious of your posture and breathing as well as instrumental techniques.

Performance anxiety never goes away instead as performers we simply get better at controlling these feelings which makes it seem that we are less afraid. I must concentrate on developing strategies to control the nerves as best as I can so they enhance not diminish my performance.

Strategies to help control nerves:
- Be prepared; practise, practise and practise
- Practise with people listening; family, friends
- Take a long deep breath and hold it for 5 seconds and repeat. This will help me to focus my breathing and control heart rate.
- Think of all the success I've had performing
- Develop a warm up routine that will focus my mind before playing.

However i need to make sure I don't hold my breath too long otherwise this will happen:

I am slowly working on my stage fright. I have performing for a long time, so I can now control my nerves. I used to be very nervous on stage and would stand there shaking. However now I am able to relax and perform confidently. It makes me more nervous when my family and close friends watch me perform, as I know there opinion matters. to overcome this I need to perform more in front of people who I am close to, so I can learn that I can perform no matter what they think. I need to have more confidence with myself so I can be confident on stage. I need to stop doubting myself, as it effects my performance. It also ruins the mood off people around me, as they end up doubting themselves as well where I am worrying so much.