Occurrence Maija Alander has lost many night’s sleep due to the excitement of performing, but she still gets on stage again – this is how the excitement is turned into a resource

Helsinki Maija Alander23, has always been an exciting performance.

Already in kindergarten, he was shy and prepared, in his own words, a serious child who was excited about all kinds of appearances.

Presentations at school caused sleepless nights. It was only exciting to meet new people because it felt like a performance.

“Situations were always tinged with fear of what other people thought. Am I giving the wrong picture of myself or is someone getting mad at me, ”Alander ponders.

The tension of performance still causes him strong physical reactions. Even before this phone interview, my hands were sweating, my heart was beating and my mouth was drying. Tension has also many times taken a night’s sleep and caused stress.

Alanderin however, the relationship to excitement has changed over the years, primarily through theatrical pursuits.

Already in elementary school, he realized that what was happening on stage was just play and performance. When you take on a role, the gaze of others is not focused on your own personality but on the thing and content being presented.

“I realized I can never present my whole minute, but only one side of me always comes out. That’s why it doesn’t matter who I am, but what I have to say. ”

In elementary school, doing theater was limited to performing for his own class, but since then Alander has attended Kallio High School, which focuses on expression, and today he studies dramaturgy and play writing at the Theater Academy.

Performing is a part of his daily life, as a lot of performances are made to schoolmates and spectators during his studies. In addition, hobbies include stage stage and making a podcast focusing on social issues.

Today, Alander thinks that excitement is important because it shows the importance of the issue to himself and improves concentration.

“The body is as if awake, and its energy can be put to good use in the performance.”

About the excitement of performance all kinds of people suffer, regardless of age or educational background, says an occupational psychologist Marjukka Laurola.

“I don’t remember meeting any people who wouldn’t be excited to perform to some degree,” she says.

Laurola works especially with performers in the creative industry. Immediately after the stress, performance tension is the most common theme he encounters at the reception. However, the amount of excitement is individual, and according to Laurola, it is often related to, for example, a person’s temperament, sensitivity and shyness.

Tension as a physiological reaction is similar to excitement: the body moves to a higher state of alertness and the person is able to concentrate better. However, according to Laurola, the difference between often tense excitement and nice enthusiasm is what we mean and interpret in a situation.

Anyone browsing the phone in the audience may feel that our presentation is bad or boring. In a different situation, browsing the phone would be interpreted, for example, as the viewer’s poor concentration.

Physical reactions, such as flushing, sweating, or a higher heart rate, may also be interpreted as either a sign of danger or an indication that we are on the verge of something important to ourselves.

“However, feeling excited is basically a good thing because it helps us focus, be present and give our best,” Laurola says.

Tension is often thought of as synonymous with failure, which is not the case, says the speech trainer Kaisa Osola.

He teaches people at work to speak in public. According to Osola, tension, ie an increase in alertness, is an issue in performance situations, and without awakening, the performance rarely becomes good.

“Performing doesn’t have to feel the same as in everyday conversation, and there’s no need to get rid of the tension completely.”

He says that many well-experienced performers are also exciting. The actor may vomit before the premiere or the musician yoga or run for an hour to equalize the amount of energy.

For most people, only a small portion of the tension is visible to the outside. Therefore, according to Osola, a person may be amazed when they see themselves performing in a video.

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Tension can be alleviated by going boldly into new situations.

Anything there is no absolute limit to how much excitement is already harmful. However, if the feeling is starting to interfere with life and prevent you from participating in different situations or meeting new people, it is worth actively working to do something about it.

Excitement can be alleviated already by boldly going into new situations outside your comfort zone. Tension can also diminish on its own as you get used to it.

For Alander, the tension of performance has never been crippling or life-limiting, as he has always been bold and curious about things.

Alander believes that the stress of occurrence stems from both the introvert nature and the great need for control. However, he has realized that not everything can be controlled and he is himself the worst critic.

“I can just go on stage and do what I’ve planned. The judgments I imagine I will receive from the public are all my own fantasies. ”

Today, Alander strives to see excitement above all as a resource that enhances performance. He has also found that he needs different routines that help alleviate the feeling of tension.

“I always get there two hours before the show, I choose my clothes the night before and I practice so much that I’m sure,” he lists.

Wholly the tension of performance may not get rid of, but you can learn to live with it. According to Marjukka Laurola, it is important that you learn to approach tension in a new way and accept it as part of your own personality.

According to Kaisa Osola, you don’t have to start loving the performance and you don’t even have to feel comfortable.

“The excitement and discomfort is a good price to pay for important things and to take art to the world,” he says.

Although Maija Alander is still excited about the performances, she always reminds herself before the performances that the exciting moment lasts only a little and they have survived before.

“I am not a surgeon, for example, who has the spirit of another person in his hands. Forgetting the turns is pretty small compared to that, ”he says.

Five tips to relieve performance stress

1. Identify your own core fear behind the excitement. Often it is the fear that other people will reject us. Is this a realistic threat? Remember, you are enough and you are interesting just like that. Focus on the content in your presentation. Trust that the listeners will be interested.

2. Get to know your own personality. Identify your own strengths on which your performance can be built. Practice performing frequently and in a safe context. Think about what you would like to see on stage yourself. Few audiences want a complete clinical and flawless appearance.

3. Look for a sense of inner security. Accept the feeling of tension and the rise of alertness. Breathe in peace, just focus on the moment at hand and tell yourself you are safe. Create images in advance that you will succeed in. Discharge too much by moving. Listening to soothing or encouraging music can also help.

4. Share the excitement with someone and be merciful to yourself. Speak your emotion out loud and you will soon find that others have quite similar experiences. Think about how you would react to a guy with performance stress. Tell yourself what you would say to him.

5. Be an encouraging audience for others. A good audience significantly reduces performance tension. Make eye contact with the performer, smile and ask questions if possible. You can also brainstorm and practice performances with other people.

The tips were compiled by occupational psychologist Marjukka Laurola and speech trainer Kaisa Osola.