How to not be nervous?

[wolf1579]

Source of the question: I was just watching Conan O'brien and I noticed that Emma Watson was on, and I was impressed at how calm, casual, and also how mature she was. I am around her age(16) and I still have problems presenting projects in front of my classes, and other things too. I also am self aware than I can be very annoying etc.Obviously I know shes an actor, has been in movies and has experience with all this and so on, but if I were put on that show I would be quite nervous, and probably sweating everywhere. Certain times I just start sweating from being nervous for no reason, and it can be verrry annoying.Aside from the given and most obvious answers that when I get older and more experience it will be easy, HOW CAN I WORK ON THIS? I don't want to be nervous when I talk to said girl, I don't want to get red faced when I make my next presentation(or be the last person to go for that matter.) Perhaps I need more confidence?

[mmotrader]

Most people are really more worried about themselves than YOU! Think about it! You're spending all that time worrying about looking weird, saying the wrong thing etc. The interesting thing is, so is most everyone else! Relax, be yourself and imagine them all not even paying attention but worrying about what they will say or how they will look. I wish someone would have told me this at your age! I was in my mid 20's before I figured this out.....Good luck :)

[Unrealface]

Can you take acting lessons? I think confidence for performance comes from experience - from seeing firsthand that nothing bad happens when you screw up, and from proving that you can succeed. That's why public speaking courses require you to give a gazillion speeches... practice is what it's all about. And an acting course might help you learn to recognize, anticipate, and control your physical projection in more detail than anything else. I think that'd give you lots of confidence, just knowing what you naturally do and taking control of it.As for giving presentations in school... the number one most important nervousness cure, is to know your material & your 'act' - know it stone cold. Memorize every word, every inflection, every gesture by practicing. As you practice you will learn to minimize twitches and speak slowly. Then by the time you present, it just flows out of memory, you have nothing to worry about but sticking to the program... you're like a robot, giving the most perfect speech you can muster. I found it really drastically improved my terrible nervousness when I did this. And incredibly, nobody thought I sounded wooden!

[WoWed]

hmm i dnk how 2 help ya..............hope ya find help

[Whoracle]

When someone is ready to take risks; the word, nervous loses its existence!

[dangle07]

The tried and true way of overcoming "stage fright" is practice. The more you put yourself in public situations, such as presentations and speeches, the more you will become comfortable in those situations. There are some tricks that you can try which also may help. Such as:Taking a few deep breaths before you begin your presentation.Acknowledge that you're going to make mistakes. Everyone screws up now and then. Once you realize that you will make mistakes just like everyone else, you will not be as anxious about your speeches, and in the end make fewer mistakes.Practice your presentations beforehand. Practice giving your presentation in front of a mirror until you are able to give the full presentation without the crutches of note-cards.One other suggestion which I have heard others suggest is visualizing your audience as they would appear in their under-ware. However, you may find yourself beginning to laugh uncontrollably in the middle of your speech if you try this method.Hope these suggestions helped.

[wtbdruid12345]

Practice practice practice, repeat. Think of anything you are good at now, you didn't used to be. There are even things you are good at now that you don't even like, aren't there. But you have to do them, so you do (=practic) and now your good at it. Join or get involved with something that requires you to speak publicly. I was in both 4-H and FFA in school, and both of these clubs require public speaking contests and live demonstration contests. It was HORRIBLE at first, but if I wanted to get to county and state levels I had to do it. (You know, those kids in the barns and halls at your local fair? Stop and listen to them some time, they grow up to be our leaders) I could get up at a rock concert and speak if I had to today. I'd still be excited, and a little nervous, you should be. But I would be comfortable enough to look and act composed, get the job done and come off looking like a pro. Find something that will get you out there, it doesn't matter if you are the best at what you do if you cannot communicate with others effectively. I honestly believe learning to be comfortable with public speaking is one of the most valuable life lessons I ever learned.Good luck.

[panimer]

It's easy to get over if you really want to.First of all you should realize that being nervous is really -good- for you. Your heart is beating faster, your mind is racing. You are at your best! When I was in school we were told not to call it 'stage fright' but 'stage POWER'.I found it really helped to make a joke. Ever notice how speeches usually begin with a joke? When you make people laugh it relaxes them and you too. If you're doing a speech or presentation or something, and you get two or three jokes out in the first few minutes, people are going to be quiet and listen carefully to you because they never know when you're going to make another joke, and they don't want to miss it!It also helps to be really well prepared. (We're still talking about a presentation or speech or something). If you're constantly afraid you're going to pause and lose your train of thought and stammer for a minute trying to get started again, you'll do it! If you are really confident that you could do the presentation in your sleep, then it will go off smooth as butter. As you say, confidence is what it's all about. You have confidence when you know you're up to the task, when you're well prepared. You'll be throwing your hand in the air -- 'Me first! Let me go first!'Emma Watson was only about 10 in her first film. The first interviews she did were on film, one of those interview films they use to promote the movies. She had a director with her that said 'Say this. Say it like -this-. Tilt your head this way when you say that. That was good, but try it again.' After a few hours of this she knew just what to say and how. She could do it in her sleep.Then she went off on a tour where she was interviewed over and over and over by local TV people. Same questions every time, same answers, as easy as reciting the pledge of allegiance. And this was all when she was ten years old!So no wonder she takes it all so much in stride! She's an old hand at being in front of a camera, having to answer questions off-the-cuff. She feels at home, in her element. There is just no substitute for experience.By the time you get out of college, believe me, you will have done it a million times. You'll be confident!As for talking to that girl. It's really easier than you think. She wants to like you. She wants to be impressed. In fact the way to handle it is to let -her- talk. 8^) Ask her something about school or family or whatever and then listen, nodding and going 'uh huh', etc. That used to work for me. Girls just LOVE a good listener.