🦋 Embracing the Butterflies: Transforming Pre-Performance Anxiety🌟

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Take 5 minutes to realign—and then, go shine.🌟

In this episode, we transform those pre-show butterflies into a grounded sense of readiness. Whether you’re stepping onto a stage or into any moment that matters, this is your cue to breathe, trust, and remember: you’ve already done the work.

🎧 Take 5 minutes to realign—and then, go shine.

Transforming pre-performance anxiety from debilitating fear to creative excitement requires reframing the voice of our inner critic and recognizing that butterflies aren't nerves but wings ready for flight.

• When the stage manager calls "places," it can feel more like a call to arms than an invitation to express our passion
• The voice of doubt becomes amplified just before performing, making us believe we're not ready
• You were amazing before stepping on stage because you did the work and showed up
• The inner critic's message of fear is outdated—it protected you when you were learning but limits you now
• Recast your inner critic's role with messages that help you succeed rather than keep you afraid
• Those flutters aren't nerves but wings ready to take flight
• Don't make performing about just getting through—trust yourself and the process
• Remember why you do what you do—the joy of sharing stories and moving audiences
• What feels like fear from inside often appears as joy and excitement to others

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey there, If you've ever felt that feeling of not
being ready just before you steponto the stage or stepping into
doing something, this one's foryou.
So in theater, when the stagemanager calls places, the cast
and crew make their way to thestage, actors assemble, the
audience quietens.
A rush of adrenaline coursesthrough the actors' veins as

(00:23):
they assume their positions,ready to perform what they've
been rehearsing for months.
The silence is palpable, Well,except for the increased beating
of your heart which isthreatening to burst through
your chest, and there's akaleidoscope of butterflies
fluttering in your stomach.
Is it fear or excitement?

(00:44):
It's both.
When we hear that simple callto places, sometimes it feels
more like a call to arms than aninvitation to express our
calling and ready to defend ourdignity, ready not to fail.
We lose sight of the very thingwe are so passionate about
doing.
So we try to drown out thevoice of doubt in our head,

(01:14):
which is amplified exponentially, reciting our lines over and
over again, reinforcing thenotion that maybe, maybe, we're
not actually ready yet.
So, inevitably, you create thisoverwhelming feeling that you
can't go on.
And, as you know, the show mustgo on.
And so so do you.

(01:34):
And you know what.
You're always amazing.
You were amazing before youstepped onto that stage.
You know why?
Because you did the work.
You were amazing before youstepped onto that stage because
you honored your muse.
You showed up.
What happens next cannot changethat fact.

(02:00):
The critics will say whatthey're going to say, no matter
how good or bad you feel or feltbefore you went on, and your
inner critic your inner criticwill tell you that you need to
feel nervous just before youstep onto the stage, Otherwise
you'll fail.
Well, you know what I say.
It's a lie.

(02:20):
It is a bold-faced lie.
It's old data.
Well, once upon a time, you mayhave actually needed its
message of caution and fear tomake sure you were prepared
enough to step out onto thatstage.
You were but a caterpillar,then just learning to crawl.

(02:41):
It's time to recast the role ofyour gremlin to align with a
message that helps you succeed,rather than one that keeps you
safe by being afraid to fail.
Rescript its message to onethat better serves who you are
today a beautifully formedbutterfly ready to fly.

(03:02):
Those flutters aren't nerves,they are wings that are ready to
take flight.
So when the stage manager callsplaces and you feel your
insides wanting to suddenlyempty out and that everything
you've worked so hard to learnhas left your head and body.
Don't make this magical thingabout you.

(03:22):
Don't make this magical thingthat we do become about you just
getting through.
Trust yourself and trust theprocess.
Remember why you do what you do.
Fill yourself up with knowingthat you get to do this

(03:43):
beautiful, magical,transformative art.
You get to be excited aboutsharing stories and moving
audiences.
You've got nothing to lose andwe've got everything to gain.
From you playing full out itfeels like fear, but from where

(04:06):
I'm sitting, it's joy andexcitement.
You are ready.
I promise it's time to usethose wings and fly.
I'm Lisa Hopkins.
Thanks so much for listening.
Stay safe and healthy, everyone, and remember to live in the

(04:26):
moment.