How to overcome stage fright

Marcia Brady was told to combat stage fright by picturing audience members in their underwear – but here are some proven ways to beat an affliction that affects three-quarters of all performers.

You Will Need:

* Juice
* A snack with carbs
* A lucky charm
* A rhythmic poem
* Gum (optional)
* Lavender or vanilla lotion (optional)

Step 1: Visualize success
Visualize success by picturing the performance going perfectly. Studies show that visualizing something going well helps make it happen. Many athletes, such as champion divers, use mental imagery to psych themselves up before a competition.

Step 2: Drink juice
Drink citrus juice before you go on stage. One study found people who downed OJ before giving a speech had lower blood pressure, fewer stress hormones, and less anxiety within just 15 minutes – and the effect lasted over 40 minutes!

Step 3: Take a deep breath
Place your hands on top of your head or over your eyes or heart, and breathe deeply for a count of ten while visualizing a healing light coming through your hands. This Japanese exercise lowers blood pressure and decreases stress hormones.

Step 4: Imagine the audience as one person
Imagine everyone in the audience is a clone of one person: your best friend, your wife—whoever is your biggest supporter. This is a favorite technique of stage-fright sufferer Shirley MacLaine.

Step 5: Think of a word
There’s a good reason meditators sit around saying, “Om.” Research shows that focusing your thoughts on one word – any word – actually switches the brain from busy beta waves to slower, calmer alpha waves.

Step 6: Have some carbs
Forget your low-carb diet for one day and enjoy bagels, pasta, and popcorn. Carbs trigger the release of the calming chemical serotonin in the brain.

Step 7: Wear a lucky charm
Many actors and athletes wear a lucky charm to help them cope with performance anxiety. Richard Burton always wore something red when performing.