Here is some more "food for thought" which I am sending out in the months between my regular In The SpotLight newsletters. These are excerpts taken from past newsletters I have written that still have much relevance today. I would love to guide and support you in working on this challenge. Please consider my Getting Over Stage Fright workshop and/or some personal coaching if you would like my guidance in learning how to transform this fear. If you are interested in the workshop, the next one is being planned for January 19-20, 2013. Be sure to sign up very soon so we can hold a spot for you and so you can benefit from the Early Bird Discount (good through December 7th). I hope you will be able to join us as a great start to the New Year! You can find out more information about the workshop by visiting http://www.performanceanxiety.com/workshop.htm. Enjoy! Janet Past newsletters are archived at www.performanceanxiety.com/newsletter_main.htm.
 
"When Lincoln said, 'The world will little note nor long remember what we say here,' he was wrong - but only because he was president of the United States." Martha Beck
Everything is Relative
Whatever your politics are, I think we can all share some empathy and compassion for the presidential and vice presidential candidates as they have faced intense public scrutiny and, at times, public ridicule (especially with Saturday Night Live and other late night comedians).
I was recently speaking with some clients who shared that they had felt quite anxious as they vicariously experienced the stress and pressure that the candidates must have felt before and during the debates. The feeling that millions of people are watching you very closely - in fact, intentionally scrutinizing you and looking for your flaws to publicly expose and discredit you and your party - certainly is something none of us would welcome. The feeling of needing to be as sharp as a tack and having to remember all of your facts and figures with no room for error is quite an expectation to have to meet. And knowing this really is a win/lose proposition and the stakes truly are very high (not just in your imagination) is enough to make anyone feel terror.
I saw former presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush being interviewed before the debates and they both recounted the pressure and anxiety they felt prior to their debates, knowing they were being held to the highest standards and being put in the spotlight in such an intense and unforgiving way. I can't imagine anyone not feeling some degree of performance anxiety under these conditions, even the most composed and seasoned speakers.
So, this may be an occasion to count our lucky stars and remind ourselves that everything is relative and, relatively speaking, we face far less expectations and exposure in our speaking or performing situations than these public figures do. We can remind ourselves that our situation is not so high stake, relative to the much higher stakes these political figures face. We can remind ourselves that a misstep or mistake rarely, if ever, is so closely scrutinized and exposed as a personal shortcoming or failure with the potential for widespread public disapproval and ridicule. And we can breathe a sigh of relief that we don't end up as fair game for late night comedians, no matter how truly funny these people are as they poke fun at others.
We can remember that we are rarely, if ever, in a win/lose game where the competition is fierce and unrelenting. So, relatively speaking, we can relax as we realize we are not under the intense pressure and scrutiny that we often imagine and, unlike the situation that these candidates and other high level public figures face, our performance is rarely a make or break situation for our lives or our careers.
I hope to have the opportunity to help you make further progress with your speaking or performing challenges. Please be sure to contact me if you would like my help.
I wish you and your family a truly wonderful holiday season!
Warm Wishes,
Janet
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Janet Esposito, M.S.W.
In The Spotlight
PO Box 494
Bridgewater, CT06752
860-210-1499
jesposito@performanceanxiety.com
www.performanceanxiety.com
Copyright 2012, Janet E. Esposito, All Rights Reserved
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