We cannot encapsulate ourselves behind the scene all the time. No matter how much we try to be off the spotlight, there would always be that time when we have to rise from our chair and speak in front of a group or a crowd. Some people are able to manage being on stage without a fuss, but there are just some who dread the stage so much that being in situations as such is like being in a self-induced nightmare.

In the real world, however, the fear of the stage is intolerable. Opportunities may come and vanish in front of you when you don’t grab them, and grabbing opportunities require braving the spotlight. And maybe you would argue that being uncomfortable on stage is incurable, I would not refute that, however, stage frights can be curbed. Here are some tips how:

1. Love the cold feet
   Most people often let their cold feet get over them. But let me tell you a secret, having cold feet is perfectly normal. Even the veteran public speaker gets them too. And it’s OK. It means that you know that your audience expects something from you. And that’s the first step in conquering stage fright, the acknowledgment that you have the spotlight because you know something they don’t; you have something to say that would interest them; that you interest them.  Feeling scared is alright, once you’ve learned to use this feeling positively, you’ll see how much more you can do and how much more you are capable of doing.
2. Speak Normally
   I’ve seen a lot of people who when given the chance to be on stage immediately speaks of jargon or of scholarly words.  What most people fail to realize is that, the more understandable your language is, the simpler the words you use, the more you foster good communication. And good communication lets your listener relate to you more, when your audience can relate, you see their faces aglow, you see them approving and nodding and this is exactly what a speaker needs, approval. Approval boosts your confidence, makes you more ease, and little by little you’d feel that conversing is easier and stage fright slowly wears off.
3. Don’t be afraid to move
   When on stage, do not limit yourself to the podium. You can actually move on stage. When you want to emphasize something that you are saying, extend your arms, move your feet, let your body converse with you. Be natural. Talk as if you are just talking to a friend. Be animate if you want. Moving relaxes the muscles which fear strains. It warms the cold feet, and allows you to feel like you own the entire stage. Once you don’t see the stage as too small or too vast a space, you will gain your momentum. When the audience sees that you are comfortable, you will see that they are more interested to hear what you have to say. Again, this sense of approval is basically what every speaker needs to boost his confidence on the things he is talking about.

Admittedly, there are no magic tricks in curbing stage frights. Conquering fear of the spotlight is something more personal, even the tips above are merely guides on how to do it yourself. Basically, everyone has to start with that decision to finally get over with dreading the stage. And from that decision he makes, sums up the steps he has to take to completely curb stage fright.

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