YOUTH WORSHIP TEAM
OVERCOMING STAGE ANXIETY | Vance & Michelle Shepherd
Have you ever experienced stage anxiety( otherwise known as stage fright)? I’ m sure every single musician and singer on the planet has at some point had to overcome this range of emotions.
Some of our students dread the thought of getting up in front of a group of people and leading worship or performing and would rather get the flu! But it’ s not just musicians; athletes, actors and public speakers often get performance anxiety.
Anxiety or fear can keep you from doing what you enjoy and can follow you throughout life if not addressed and tackled head on with good, healthy techniques. Worst of all, stage anxiety can negatively affect your self-esteem and self-confidence. Most of us don’ t ever totally overcome stage fright, but there are many things you can do to control your emotions and reduce anxiety.
Being the center of attention and having all eyes on you can be terrifying. Your body reacts to this scenario in almost the same way as it would if you were being attacked. Your body’ s“ fight or flight” hormone kicks in, which is why symptoms of stage fright are similar to symptoms that occur when you’ re in real danger.
Stage anxiety symptoms can include:
• Racing pulse and rapid breathing
• Nausea or an uneasy feeling in your stomach
• Sweaty and / or cold hands
• Dry mouth and tightening of the throat
• Trembling hands, legs, lips, and voice
• Vision changes
No wonder so many people decide they don’ t ever want to perform or be on a stage!
We want our youth to have a positive experience when they’ re leading worship and be focused on leading people to the heart of God … not on their own fear and anxiety. Helping them confront their fears and vulnerabilities, helping them to accept themselves for exactly who they are, and helping them not feel like they must prove themselves to others is the first step toward helping them to overcome this anxiety. As leaders, we must remind them that nobody is perfect but Jesus, and nobody expects them to be perfect. It’ s human to make mistakes. And those mistakes are how we learn and grow.
Here are some helpful tips to help you or the ones you lead to overcome fear and be able to shine when leading worship:
• Be prepared: practice, practice, practice! The more prepared, the less anxiety.
• Limit caffeine and sugar on the day of the performance. Eat a good meal a few hours before the event so that you have energy and don’ t get hungry.
• Shift the focus from yourself and your fear to the enjoyment you are providing to the audience or congregation.
• Don’ t focus on what could go wrong. Instead, focus on the positive.
• Avoid thoughts that produce self-doubt. Take every thought captive and remind yourself that you are leading others to the heart of God. It’ s about HIM.
• Practice prayer and controlled breathing to help you relax and redirect your thoughts
when they turn negative.
• Take a walk, jump up and down, shake out your muscles, or do whatever feels right to ease your anxious feelings before the performance.
• Connect with your audience: smile, make eye contact, and think of them as friends.
• Be your authentic self. Don’ t try and be like somebody else. This just adds to the pressure.
• Laugh when you can: it can help you relax.
• Dress for success: When you look good, you feel good.
These tips should help reduce stage anxiety. Confronting your fears and learning ways to reduce and manage them can be empowering and can help give you more opportunities in the future to use your talents and skill to the glory of God.
May you be blessed as you pour into or become the next generation of worship leaders!
Vance & Michelle Shepherd Founders of The Shepherd School of Music in Las Vegas, NV, where they work with youth to raise up the next generation of worship leaders and musicians. facebook. com / shepherdschoolofmusiclasvegas www. ShepherdStudiosLV. com
40 June 2025 Subscribe for Free...