Conquering Nervousness While Performing

Grappling with nervousness is something that a lot of artists experience. I started in musical theater, and it's influenced how I perform and teach as a coach.

What I learned from my early years as an artist is that breath control is essential. If you can't calm your nerves, then you can't do your job. If you lose your diaphragmatic breathing, you are out of the game, physically and emotionally.

Taking in deep belly breaths will help sustain a healthy level of breathing. When you don't focus on your breathing, it sends a message to your brain that you are in distress. If you talk slower, lower, and take big breaths, it will actually send messages to your mind that you're not in danger.

You don't need to go into fight or flight mode—the reptilian part of your brain. When you do these breathing exercises, you will stay in your cerebral cortex. Keep your breathing slow, deep, and low.

Breathing this way sends messages to your brain that you're in a comfortable place. This allows you to get back to being creative. These breathing exercises can help you relax before a speech at a wedding, a presentation a work, recording an album, performing at a club, or during an audition. I know from personal experience that this can make a dramatic effect on your performance.

Shannon O’Dowd is an on-camera host, commercial spokesperson, & media training/on-camera instructor. Shannon has been working on both sides of the camera for well over a decade.

I eat, sleep, and breath on-camera training and coaching. I Literally wrote the book on how to prepare and embellish your on-camera performance. Finding talent managers and eventually agents means focusing on building out your resume, headshots, and sizzle reel. Having on-camera training can get you ready for the audition. I go above and beyond for my clients and teach up and coming professionals and established talent all over the Los Angeles area. Reach out! I want to continue to build a thriving community of entertainers.