As a singer, it has always amazed me that speaking in public is the Western world’s number 1 fear, above flying and even death. I have been singing in public since I was seven and, to me, it is a natural thing to do. However, give me an instrument to play with my hands and I am consumed by stage fright. So what is it that turns us into jelly and makes previously rehearsed brilliance turn into jibberish and mistakes? At heart, we are still Stone Age creatures and find our safety in the group. By taking ourselves out of that group we become vulnerable. In fact, every time we stand up to speak in public our bodies believe we are going to be attacked and so go into the stress response. Our blood is flooded with adrenalin, our hearts pound and our breathing becomes shallow. We are ready for action but there is nowhere to run. This is why public speaking is in the position of number one fear. That and the fact that our voice is so revealing and tells everyone so much about us. In the first five seconds, our audience has decided whether or not it likes us, whether we are healthy, what kind of person we are, whether we can be trusted and whether or not we have the authority to be believed. And yet we need some adrenalin to perform well. The secret is to manage the stress response and that is what vocal coaching can help you to do. By learning a few simple techniques and practising them speaking and singing in public can be a joy both for us and our audience.
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