Your Brain on Fear and How to Change ItSINGING
INSIDER www.thevocalspa.com
The old adage - 'there is safety in numbers' is actually true.
Those of us who sing in community as part of a choir, praise team, band or ensemble
rarely suffer from debilitating nerves in fact, we perceive singing as a
desirable, fun and encouraging activity.
Predictability - knowing what a group is likely to do -
combined with the feeling of protection associated with
being in a group also eliminates fears.
The opposite is often true during solo performance.
Whether in sports, the arts or public speaking,
researchers have found that the likelihood of choking -
performing at a level that is far below your skill level
is directly connected to how you think when performing alone.
Turns out, extreme anxiety during solo performance,
causes the pre-frontal cortex (PFC) to become highly engaged.
The reason this works against us is because
the PFC is not the part of the brain that handles stress well.
Once involved, it can send too much information to the body
undermining skills that should function on autopilot like:
hitting a ball, clearing a hurdle, or singing a phrase.
When this happens, the solo performer may find themselves
fighting racing thoughts, pounding heart,
sweaty palms, dry mouth - all while trying to display their skill
at a high level, in front of an attentive audience.
Intense to say the least.
One of the most effective ways to combat the
physical side of nerves is the use of rehearsed simulation.
By creating stress, then rehearsing through it
the body can be retrained to perform flawlessly.
One of the easiest and most effective simulations involves
singing after 1-2 minutes of vigorous exercise giving the body no time to recover.
With disciplined practice, repeated simulation will decrease the connection between
the reasoning and motor areas of the brain. Performing will become part of
your procedural memory - (auto pilot) flowing from a place anxiety cannot touch.
We've seen this phenomenon in the greatest athletes, dancers and creative artists
as they perform flawlessly in "clutch" situations.
Rest assured, the same ability to overcome fear and perform with confidence
is available to you.
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with more powerful weapons. Hint: Proverbs 23:7
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Stay well- Sing beautifully!