October 25, 2024 • 24 mins
If you’ve ever stood outside an audition room with your heart racing, hands shaking, and thought to yourself, “Why am I so nervous? I’ve trained for years for this!”—then this episode is for you.
In this episode, we’re breaking down the science behind nerves, the fight-or-flight response, and how you can rewire your brain through neuroplasticity to actually handle auditions better over time. Plus, I’m sharing some of my go-to breathwork techniques, visualization exercises, and mindset shifts that will help you stay grounded and centred in the audition room.
So if you’re ready to stop letting nerves control your performance and start enjoying the audition process, this episode has everything you need. 🎶💃
🔑 In this episode, you’ll learn:
1. Why we get nervous in auditions (and how to understand it instead of fear it).
2. Practical tools to manage nerves, including breathwork and grounding techniques.
3. How to shift your mindset from nervous to excited and confident.
4. Why visualization is a game-changer for audition success.
5. How to approach auditions as exciting opportunities, not scary tests!
✨ Resources to help you even more:
• Audition Prep Workbook: Get access to my step-by-step workbook that helps you map out your best-case audition scenario and build confidence from the inside out.
• Masterclass Alert: Coming soon! I’ll be hosting a masterclass on how to transition from graduate to full-time professional performer.
Keep an eye out! 🎓🎭
Let me know if you try any of these tools at your next audition or even in class! I LOVE hearing from you, so drop a comment or send me a DM about your experiences. We’re all in this together, and you’ve got everything you need to shine.
You totally got this!
—Taylor ✨
🚀 Join the Performer's Mindset Hub for FREE:
Free community with tools to support your journey.
Click here to join now!
💻 Check out Momentum 2.0 Program:
Watch FREE From Graduate to Pro Masterclass & learn the 3 Steps To Becoming a Sustainable Musical Theatre Professional.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, welcome back to the podcast.
I'm your host, taylor Scanlon,and if you're tuning in today,
it's probably because you'vebeen in that nerve wracking spot
where you're standing outsidean audition room and your heart
is racing, the hands are shakingand you're really just
wondering why am I so nervous,after I've actually trained five
plus years to actually go anddo the thing?
(00:22):
But all of a sudden you're outthe front of the, you're in the
audition room and you can'tcontrol this overwhelming sense
of nerves Today.
That's what the episode is allabout, so we're going to dive
deep into why we actually getnervous in auditions and during
audition season and what'sactually happening in your body
and your brain and, mostimportantly, how we can actually
(00:43):
take control over these nervesand turn them into confidence.
If you've ever been askingyourself why do I feel like this
, even though I've put so muchwork in and I feel so prepared,
or maybe you're thinking how canI actually stop my nerves from
taking over and enjoy theaudition process, then stick
around.
This episode is for you.
We'll be covering all of ittoday and give you some
(01:06):
practical tools you can start toimplement right away to ground
yourself and actually have funin the audition room.
All right, so let's get straightinto it.
Why do we actually get nervousin the first place?
See, the truth is that nervesare actually completely normal
and first off, I just want tosay that every single person
experiences nerves in audition.
(01:28):
If someone out there says I'mnever nervous in auditions, I
can guarantee you from apsychological, physiological
aspect, they're probably lying.
We've all felt levels of nervesgoing into an audition sense
and maybe just over the.
What you're able to build is abit more of an understanding of
where your body is and how toactually regulate those nerves
(01:51):
so that you don't feel asnervous in it.
But just know that an auditionscenario is nerve wracking.
So know that this episode isgoing to just help you
understand how that all works.
So yeah, like I said, the truthis nerves are completely
natural.
Your body is actually doingwhat it's designed to do in a
high pressure situation.
It's actually trying to keepyou safe.
(02:13):
So that's actually reassuring,because when we're going into an
audition, we're going oh, Ijust don't want to be nervous, I
want to be good, but it'sactually just your body trying
to keep you safe.
And here's the actual thingyour brain doesn't actually know
the difference between anaudition panel and a like saber
(02:33):
tooth tiger right, that'sstanding right in front of you.
I know it sounds a bit silly, abit funny, but let's dive into
it a bit more.
Your brain is wired forsurvival.
Into it a bit more.
Your brain is wired forsurvival.
Our brains are wired forsurvival.
(02:54):
So when you walk into anaudition which is an unfamiliar
and an uncertain environment,you don't know how you're going
to sing or what they'reexpecting or what the dance is
going to be it can be a lot andwhen you're in that uncertainty
and unfamiliarity environment,your brain literally says, oh,
this could be dangerous.
And so what happens is ittriggers something within you
(03:15):
called the fight flight orfreeze response.
So let's just break it downquickly.
When you feel your heart racing, when you're in an audition,
and maybe your hands are shaking, sweating, even your breath
starts to get a bit short andsharp, that's your brain
actually sending signals to yourbody saying get ready for
action, because it doesn't knowwhat's going to happen.
(03:37):
Just if you had a saber-toothedtiger in front of you that you
don't know if they're about torun at you, if they're going to
turn away, your brain is goingright, there's something that's
about to happen.
I need to be ready for action.
And it's your amygdala in yourbrain, the part of the brain
that processes fear, that'sactually sounding this alarm in
your body.
Then what happens is yourhypothalamus in your brain
(04:01):
actually jumps in and activatesyour sympathetic nervous system,
which basically just tells yourbody that we need to either run
away or we need to stand andfight.
So there's a few things in thebody that's happening in the
sense of an audition and that'sjust wild to know that's
actually happening in your body,whether we know it or not.
(04:21):
I just love learning about thisand I wanted to come on today
and share with you a little bitmore about it, because if you
gain a little bit moreunderstanding and awareness
around it, you're actually ableto understand that, a, it's a
normal process and, b, when youhave the awareness of, oh, this
is just what's happening in mybody, I understand that's gonna
happen.
Then you're able to actuallyprocess it and go through some
(04:43):
of the tools and practices thatwe'll go through today to help
you regulating it down and totell, ultimately, your body and
your brain that it is safe.
In saying that, what I've justsummarized is that when you're
in an audition, we're not infront of a saber-toothed tiger,
we're not actually in danger,it's just an audition.
You're not running around andyou're not.
(05:04):
Sometimes we're running arounddying, but in the true sense.
If you were just to take yourhead out of the water a little
bit and get a bit of overviewperspective, everything's going
to be fine.
We're going in, you're going todance, you're maybe going to
sing, maybe going to do a littlebit of both, and then your day
is going to continue on.
So by gaining a little bit moreperspective of it, that
(05:28):
actually can help automaticallylower a little bit of the nerves
that happen in the body.
See, the thing is what we do,especially when we're starting
out, we put so much addedpressure into that moment.
So then what happens is thatour nerves and everything only
heighten because we put so muchpressure into doing so well that
(05:48):
if we don't in that uncertaintyenvironment yeah, we've just
added this, all this onto it, soit makes it even worse the
nervous system that's going inand doesn't feel safe, it
doesn't feel certain.
But here is the crazy thingthere's actually no danger.
It's just an audition.
You're just coming in to danceand sing, which is something
(06:09):
you've actually done for a longtime, just in an environment
where you did feel a bit moresafe.
So when we're in an auditionsense it's something that's
unfamiliar You're with, maybechoreographers you've not worked
with before, it's in adifferent environment, maybe a
different studio that you're notused to going to.
So automatically, by actuallyshowing up to a space that's
unfamiliar, this part of yournervous system and your brain is
(06:32):
activating because it's justunfamiliar.
It's not wrong, it's justunfamiliar, but just know that
we're actually not in danger,and that's the crazy thing.
So how can we actually tell ourbodies to and our minds that it
is safe, so that we can performreally well?
Your brain loves certainty, itloves routine things it knows
(06:55):
how to handle, and when it comesto auditions they're literally
the opposite of that.
Every audition is new.
If you've had experienceauditioning already, every
single one is different and soactually going into that and
seeing new people, newenvironments, new expectations,
different material, your brainsees this as a massive unknown,
(07:17):
which then goes back andtriggers this stress response.
So you actually have an amazingpart of the brain.
A little bit more in thescience and then we'll get into
the pack, I promise, is thatthere's an amazing part of your
brain called the prefrontalcortex which is basically where
(07:39):
we.
It's the rational brain, it'sthe calm part of your brain,
it's where you make decisions,where you plan things and that's
where your focus happens.
So the prefrontal cortex isactually the thing that we want
in control in the audition.
But the problem is that theamygdala, our fear center,
hijacks this system and that'swhen we start to feel like we
are out of control.
And if you've ever had anaudition I've had several where
(08:01):
you literally go in and you comeout and you're like what just
happened?
That's your amygdala, just liketaking the reins.
So we want that part of thebrain, which is the prefrontal
cortex, to jump in, to take thefront seat.
So we do have some good news inthis we can actually train our
brain to stay calm and let ourprefrontal cortex to take the
(08:22):
lead, literally going darling,tell the amygdala to chill out.
We need to get you running theshow.
Yeah, let's get intounderstanding a little bit more
about the neuroplasticity ofthis.
So if you've never heard thatword before, neuroplasticity
means that with practice we canliterally rewire.
I find this so fascinating.
(08:42):
We can rewire our brains tohandle auditions better, so that
is actually really reassuring.
So know that, because everyaudition is different, you
actually have an amazingopportunity to start to rewire
connections in your brain toactually handle auditions better
and better each time, and themore you practice learning how
(09:05):
to calm your nervous systemwhich we'll do today the easier
it will become to do what youneed to do in that high stake
moment.
Okay, so, now that we know alittle bit more about why we get
nervous and what's happening inthe brain, let's talk about
some practical tools you can useto stay grounded when you're
there and take control duringyour audition experience.
(09:27):
So one of the easiest and mosteffective ways to calm your
nervous system is through yourbreath.
I have been teaching yoga for alittle while, both online and
in person.
I've done about 400 hours inyoga teacher training and it's
something that I have foundreally helps my nervous system.
It always brings me back to thepresent moment and allows me to
(09:50):
disconnect from my brain andgets me into my body, and one
part of yoga that I learned wasbreath work and the power that
it has over our nervous system.
It's actually a direct linkinto our nervous system when you
actually take deep, slowbreaths.
If someone's come up to you andsays, oh, just breathe deep or
take a few deep breaths, let'sactually unpack.
(10:11):
That it's actually telling yourbrain hey, it's all good, we're
safe.
So before you walk into a room,let's try this simple breathing
exercise.
So just take a moment, if it'ssafe to do so, close your eyes
and just calm down the body alittle bit, and you can just use
(10:31):
this simple practice at anypoint in time when you feel you
just need to ground.
This is a practice that I do atany point I'm feeling like
things are a bit overwhelmingand just to bring you back into
center.
So notice the in and out flowof your breath, not trying to
(10:52):
change it at all, just noticingit.
It can be nice to put one handon your belly and maybe one hand
on your chest and just noticingthe rise and fall of your
breath, acknowledge that you arebreathing, that you are human,
(11:14):
that you're not a machine, whichwe sometimes like to treat our
bodies like.
And then, when it feels safe todo so, we are going to do a
breathing practice very quickand all you need to do is we'll
breathe in for four counts.
We'll hold for four counts andthen we're going to exhale for
(11:35):
six counts.
We're going to do it just a fewtimes and just notice how your
heart rate will begin to slowdown and slowly, bit by bit,
your mind will start to clear.
So when you're ready, we'llinhale for one, two, three, four
(12:04):
and pause.
Two, three, four and thenexhale two, three, four, five,
six and inhale two, two, three,four and exhale all the air out
of the belly.
Four, five, six deeper into thebelly.
Two, three, four and pause two,three, four, exhale all the air
(12:29):
out three, four, five, six, onemore.
Inhale two, three, four andpause two, three, four and
exhale out all the air as muchas you can, squeezing in the
belly, getting all that exhaleout of the breath and then
(12:54):
return to just your normalbreath.
If you close your eyes, you canopen your eyes now and just take
a little bit of inventory.
How do you feel?
Do you feel a little bit morecalm?
Do you feel a little bit more,less stressed, and just know if
the mind is still racing alittle bit.
That is totally normal.
This is a practice overall, butthis some really cool science
(13:14):
about this.
All that you need to know isthat when you actually exhale
longer than you inhale, youactually activate the
parasympathetic nervous system,which is the opposite of that
fight and flight response.
Before we were in thisheightened sense where we needed
to either fight or run away.
But with this practice exercisewhere we're exhaling longer
(13:38):
than we inhale, we actuallysignal to our brain and our body
to chill out and to calm down,because when we're actually in a
calm and safe environment, ourbodies naturally exhale longer
than we inhale, and vice versa,for in a high pressure situation
we usually inhale sharper,quicker, more than we exhale.
So by actually using your powerof your breath, which is
(14:00):
completely free, you can usethis exercise at any point and
if you felt that this exercisehas helped you in any way,
please send me a message and useit in auditions.
There's times where I've usedjust a simple noticing the
breath, inhaling through thenose and out through the nose,
and just utilizing the exhalemore.
As I'm learning choreography, Ifound that my brain is a lot
(14:21):
more tuned in.
So this is one of the easiestand most effective ways to calm
your nervous system through yourbreath.
And when you really understandthat, by taking intentional deep
breaths, slow breaths.
You then just continue to tellyour brain that it's safe, it's
all good, and you can start tomove forward with a little bit
more awareness.
Like I said, I do this all thetime and I actually remember one
(14:43):
audition where I was feelingsuper jittery.
I just didn't know what to dowith my body.
I think I don't know exactlywhich one it was, but I remember
just feeling like the nerveswere just overtaking a bit and I
was like hold on.
I didn't even know if I evenwanted the show that bad.
Anyway, I just rememberstepping outside a little bit
before going in and taking a fewmindful breaths like this, even
(15:05):
just for two minutes, and Ijust walked back in like I was.
I felt like a completelydifferent person.
It allowed me to just quicklycenter in, and I've also used
this on the train going intowork, when I've had to go on for
a cover that I've never been onbefore.
Just tap back into your breath.
It's something that you don'thave to even tune into from the
outside.
You don't need to pay anyone.
This is an exercise that youdon't have to even tune into
from the outside.
(15:26):
You don't need to pay anyone.
This is an exercise that youcan start to develop and, trust
me, you will start to seeimmediate impact and immediate
results.
So let's get into a fun trick.
So did you know that thenervous system and excitement
actually feel pretty much thesame in the body?
So when you're feeling reallyexcited oh, I'm so excited, this
is going to happen nervesactually in the body.
(15:46):
So when you're feeling reallyexcited oh, I'm so excited, this
is gonna happen nerves actuallyin the body feel and present
themselves very similar.
So it's all about actually howyou label things.
So let's get into a little bitabout reframing and how this can
impact and help you.
So, instead of telling yourselfI'm nervous and this is gonna be
terrible a lot of the time,because, again, if we go back to
the start, we're just wantingto be safe.
(16:08):
Our body likes certainty, ourbrain loves certainty, it wants
to know that it's going to beokay.
And if you've particularly hada bad experience in a past
audition, you're now bringingthat experience into this one
and just know you don't have tobe.
Know that this is a completelynew audition.
This is a completely newexperience.
It's all got to do with how youpresent yourself and how you
(16:30):
actually walk into that momentand you have complete control
over that.
So, trying this, if you now knowthat excitement and nerves are
similar in the body you canstart to shift into, instead of
saying I'm nervous, you can Ajust go okay, I'm feeling a
little bit nervous, but I'm alsoreally excited.
So by actually reframing this,you'll be amazed at how this
(16:51):
tiny shift can actually start totrick your brain into relaxing.
Because when you are excited,you're actually telling your
brain that you want to be there.
It's putting yourself into I'mready to fight, I'm ready to
like, I really want to be here,as opposed to when we're feeling
nervous and unsure, we backaway and don't show up as our
best selves.
So another way that you canstay grounded is by doing a
(17:14):
quick physical groundingexercise.
So right before you walk intothe room, just press your feet
firmly onto the ground.
Say to your body we are here.
A simple tool that I love to doeven is to actually rock up to
an audition, 20 to 30 minutesbefore they say.
Science says that it takesabout 20 minutes for your body
(17:34):
to regulate to a new environment.
If you actually rock up, ifyou've got five minutes to spare
, your nervous system is stilltrying to take on all the
outside information to actuallyregulate, to be in that
environment.
I saw this it was a video or adoctor said if you're coming
home from work or a stressfulday, sometimes it's actually
really nice to just tell yourpartner or your family, if
(17:55):
possible, to just give you 20minutes so you can just allow
yourself to come home, leavewhatever you've just gone
through if it's beenparticularly hard or anything on
and outside the door so you canjust be home with where you
need to be.
This is just so powerful andI've even started to implement
this into coming to work.
I go to work a lot earlier,just so you can start to tell
(18:15):
your nervous system that, okay,we're in this environment, this
is where we need to be.
So a last little note on nervesand how you can stay a little
bit more grounded and navigate.
It is visualization To onnerves and how you can stay a
little bit more grounded andnavigate.
It is visualization To any ofmy people out there, that
students out there and anyonethat follows this podcast.
If you are into visualizationor you're even just able to
(18:36):
learn visually, if you find thatyou find yourself that you
really excel when it comes tovisually seeing something to
learn.
This is going to be a reallypowerful exercise that you can
do.
So I want you to close your eyes, if it's safe to do so again,
and just picture yourselfwalking into that audition room
with confidence.
Start to see the panel smilingback at you.
(18:57):
See yourself nailing the song,that monologue, whatever it is.
Actually picture the wholeentire room loving your
performance.
This actually primes your brainfor the success that you're
looking for, and so when youactually walk in, you already
feel like you've got it, becauseyou've mentally rehearsed for
(19:19):
your brain to start looking forthose signs.
And this isn't about justvisualize it and then it's just
going to happen.
Really get into the feeling ofit, because right now, I
guarantee you, nine times out often we're going into auditions,
going oh, there's no way I'mgoing to be as good as that
person, or a lot of the ninetimes out of ten, we're not
actually focusing on what can goreally well.
(19:39):
What if you smash this audition?
How would that feel?
What if the panel love you?
What if you're the exact personthat they're looking for?
Like?
How amazing would that feel?
And then I really love to playthis part because there is that
sense of.
Maybe you're asking, taylor, ifI go in there and I'm positive
and I vision that it's all goingto go well and parts of it
(20:02):
don't, what was the point?
And my point to tell you, isn'tit so much better to go in with
the right frame of mind that'ssupporting you, that's expecting
a good result, and then, if youfumble, you go oh, I can work
on that.
Then go into it with supernegative and mindset that you
can never do those things andthen have that pressure added
(20:22):
pressure onto the auditionexperience itself.
So it's actually got more to dowith, like, how you process the
audition experience and Iguarantee you, if you can just
start to position your mindsetin a way that's actually going
to support you from thebeginning, before you've even
jumped in, you're actually, agoing to do a lot better and, b
you're actually going to enjoythe process a lot more, because
(20:44):
you're going to be priming yourbrain to look for things that
are in your visualization,picturing yourself nailing the
song, doing better than youthought in the dance round.
And again, when we're goingback to the science of the brain
and the body, your braindoesn't actually know the
difference between past, presentand future.
It's only ever in the present,and when you start to see and
(21:07):
visualize in your brain thingsgoing the way you want them,
your brain and your bodyactually start to look for those
things.
So the opportunities start topresent themselves and you
actually will start to see amassive shift in the actions
that you take.
Okay, so let's wrap up with abit of a mindset shift for us,
and I want you to start thinkingabout auditions as
opportunities.
I think they're alreadynerve-wracking, right, and I
(21:28):
think, when it comes to themindset shift that is going to
most best support you first ofall just acknowledge if you
don't love auditioning, that'stotally fine.
There are lots, and there are alot to go through, especially
when each of them is sodifferent.
It's oh, how can I get ahead ofthis?
Because it's always changing.
So I want you to start thinkingabout them as just
opportunities.
So I want you to start thinkingabout them as just
(21:49):
opportunities.
What opportunity is thispresenting for me?
And that is a really cool thingto go in with, because these
are the moments to show up,these are the moments to have
fun, this is the moment toexpress and give yourself and
showcase the things that you'vebeen working on.
So casting directors and thepanel really want to see who you
(22:10):
are.
They're actually rooting foryou.
They want the best people intheir production and so they
actually want you to succeed.
No one is there like wishingyou would do bad, like they want
the best of the best there.
So, if we're coming in, imagineif you were interviewing
someone and they didn't believein themselves and they didn't
feel like they were up to doingit or they don't believe that
(22:31):
they would do.
You probably wouldn't hire themright, because you, as a, as a
business owner, want the bestpossible people, people that
believe in themselves andbelieve in the production that
they're presenting.
It's not about being perfect atthe end of the day, it's just
about showing your personalityand what you can uniquely bring
to that production.
Yeah, so the next time you stepinto a room I hope that this
(22:54):
episode has given you a littlebit more understanding of why
we're getting nervous and justremember to take that deep
breath, that mindful breath,start to exhale more than you
inhale and use it as a chance toplay.
Know that you have nothing tolose and something to gain from
each audition and just know thatyou've got everything you need
to shine.
Trust in your abilities, trustin that all the training that
(23:16):
you've done has led you to thismoment.
So this is a moment for you toown that room, own what you have
to share and give it your all.
So, yeah, that's a wrap up fortoday.
I hope this episode has givenyou some insights into why we
get nervous.
More importantly, that's a wrapup for today.
I hope this episode has givenyou some insights into why we
get nervous.
More importantly, how tocontrol these nerves, and
remember that auditions are justthat step, one extra step in
(23:38):
the journey.
They're not the be all, end all.
And with these tools today, Ijust hope that you're going to
be able to walk in with the roomand feeling a little bit more
grounded, confident.
Confident and ready to havesome fun, as always.
If you feel like these tipstoday have been helpful, I'd
love for you to give them a tryat your next audition or even in
class.
If you're feeling like you wantto start practicing them now
(24:00):
and DM me, message me.
I love hearing from thecommunity.
I get messages nearly everyother day about an episode or a
resource.
If you're looking for moreresources, in particular, in
workbooks.
I have an audition prepworkbook, which we actually help
you map out your best casescenario and build actions from
that so that you can go in witha clear head and with the
(24:20):
confidence that you need.
That will be accessible eitherthrough my website and all the
links will be in below of thispodcast episode.
There's other resources thatare happening there and things
coming out.
There's an upcoming masterclasswhere I'm presenting how to go
from being a graduate to being afull-time professional
performer.
Stay on the lookout for that,and I hope you have a wonderful
(24:43):
rest of your week.
You totally got this.
Hello, welcome back to the podcast.
I'm your host, taylor Scanlon,and if you're tuning in today,
it's probably because you'vebeen in that nerve wracking spot
where you're standing outsidean audition room and your heart
is racing, the hands are shakingand you're really just
wondering why am I so nervous,after I've actually trained five
plus years to actually go anddo the thing?
(00:22):
But all of a sudden you're outthe front of the, you're in the
audition room and you can'tcontrol this overwhelming sense
of nerves Today.
That's what the episode is allabout, so we're going to dive
deep into why we actually getnervous in auditions and during
audition season and what'sactually happening in your body
and your brain and, mostimportantly, how we can actually
(00:43):
take control over these nervesand turn them into confidence.
If you've ever been askingyourself why do I feel like this
, even though I've put so muchwork in and I feel so prepared,
or maybe you're thinking how canI actually stop my nerves from
taking over and enjoy theaudition process, then stick
around.
This episode is for you.
We'll be covering all of ittoday and give you some
(01:06):
practical tools you can start toimplement right away to ground
yourself and actually have funin the audition room.
All right, so let's get straightinto it.
Why do we actually get nervousin the first place?
See, the truth is that nervesare actually completely normal
and first off, I just want tosay that every single person
experiences nerves in audition.
(01:28):
If someone out there says I'mnever nervous in auditions, I
can guarantee you from apsychological, physiological
aspect, they're probably lying.
We've all felt levels of nervesgoing into an audition sense
and maybe just over the.
What you're able to build is abit more of an understanding of
where your body is and how toactually regulate those nerves
(01:51):
so that you don't feel asnervous in it.
But just know that an auditionscenario is nerve wracking.
So know that this episode isgoing to just help you
understand how that all works.
So yeah, like I said, the truthis nerves are completely
natural.
Your body is actually doingwhat it's designed to do in a
high pressure situation.
It's actually trying to keepyou safe.
(02:13):
So that's actually reassuring,because when we're going into an
audition, we're going oh, Ijust don't want to be nervous, I
want to be good, but it'sactually just your body trying
to keep you safe.
And here's the actual thingyour brain doesn't actually know
the difference between anaudition panel and a like saber
(02:33):
tooth tiger right, that'sstanding right in front of you.
I know it sounds a bit silly, abit funny, but let's dive into
it a bit more.
Your brain is wired forsurvival.
Into it a bit more.
Your brain is wired forsurvival.
Our brains are wired forsurvival.
(02:54):
So when you walk into anaudition which is an unfamiliar
and an uncertain environment,you don't know how you're going
to sing or what they'reexpecting or what the dance is
going to be it can be a lot andwhen you're in that uncertainty
and unfamiliarity environment,your brain literally says, oh,
this could be dangerous.
And so what happens is ittriggers something within you
(03:15):
called the fight flight orfreeze response.
So let's just break it downquickly.
When you feel your heart racing, when you're in an audition,
and maybe your hands are shaking, sweating, even your breath
starts to get a bit short andsharp, that's your brain
actually sending signals to yourbody saying get ready for
action, because it doesn't knowwhat's going to happen.
(03:37):
Just if you had a saber-toothedtiger in front of you that you
don't know if they're about torun at you, if they're going to
turn away, your brain is goingright, there's something that's
about to happen.
I need to be ready for action.
And it's your amygdala in yourbrain, the part of the brain
that processes fear, that'sactually sounding this alarm in
your body.
Then what happens is yourhypothalamus in your brain
(04:01):
actually jumps in and activatesyour sympathetic nervous system,
which basically just tells yourbody that we need to either run
away or we need to stand andfight.
So there's a few things in thebody that's happening in the
sense of an audition and that'sjust wild to know that's
actually happening in your body,whether we know it or not.
(04:21):
I just love learning about thisand I wanted to come on today
and share with you a little bitmore about it, because if you
gain a little bit moreunderstanding and awareness
around it, you're actually ableto understand that, a, it's a
normal process and, b, when youhave the awareness of, oh, this
is just what's happening in mybody, I understand that's gonna
happen.
Then you're able to actuallyprocess it and go through some
(04:43):
of the tools and practices thatwe'll go through today to help
you regulating it down and totell, ultimately, your body and
your brain that it is safe.
In saying that, what I've justsummarized is that when you're
in an audition, we're not infront of a saber-toothed tiger,
we're not actually in danger,it's just an audition.
You're not running around andyou're not.
(05:04):
Sometimes we're running arounddying, but in the true sense.
If you were just to take yourhead out of the water a little
bit and get a bit of overviewperspective, everything's going
to be fine.
We're going in, you're going todance, you're maybe going to
sing, maybe going to do a littlebit of both, and then your day
is going to continue on.
So by gaining a little bit moreperspective of it, that
(05:28):
actually can help automaticallylower a little bit of the nerves
that happen in the body.
See, the thing is what we do,especially when we're starting
out, we put so much addedpressure into that moment.
So then what happens is thatour nerves and everything only
heighten because we put so muchpressure into doing so well that
(05:48):
if we don't in that uncertaintyenvironment yeah, we've just
added this, all this onto it, soit makes it even worse the
nervous system that's going inand doesn't feel safe, it
doesn't feel certain.
But here is the crazy thingthere's actually no danger.
It's just an audition.
You're just coming in to danceand sing, which is something
(06:09):
you've actually done for a longtime, just in an environment
where you did feel a bit moresafe.
So when we're in an auditionsense it's something that's
unfamiliar You're with, maybechoreographers you've not worked
with before, it's in adifferent environment, maybe a
different studio that you're notused to going to.
So automatically, by actuallyshowing up to a space that's
unfamiliar, this part of yournervous system and your brain is
(06:32):
activating because it's justunfamiliar.
It's not wrong, it's justunfamiliar, but just know that
we're actually not in danger,and that's the crazy thing.
So how can we actually tell ourbodies to and our minds that it
is safe, so that we can performreally well?
Your brain loves certainty, itloves routine things it knows
(06:55):
how to handle, and when it comesto auditions they're literally
the opposite of that.
Every audition is new.
If you've had experienceauditioning already, every
single one is different and soactually going into that and
seeing new people, newenvironments, new expectations,
different material, your brainsees this as a massive unknown,
(07:17):
which then goes back andtriggers this stress response.
So you actually have an amazingpart of the brain.
A little bit more in thescience and then we'll get into
the pack, I promise, is thatthere's an amazing part of your
brain called the prefrontalcortex which is basically where
(07:39):
we.
It's the rational brain, it'sthe calm part of your brain,
it's where you make decisions,where you plan things and that's
where your focus happens.
So the prefrontal cortex isactually the thing that we want
in control in the audition.
But the problem is that theamygdala, our fear center,
hijacks this system and that'swhen we start to feel like we
are out of control.
And if you've ever had anaudition I've had several where
(08:01):
you literally go in and you comeout and you're like what just
happened?
That's your amygdala, just liketaking the reins.
So we want that part of thebrain, which is the prefrontal
cortex, to jump in, to take thefront seat.
So we do have some good news inthis we can actually train our
brain to stay calm and let ourprefrontal cortex to take the
(08:22):
lead, literally going darling,tell the amygdala to chill out.
We need to get you running theshow.
Yeah, let's get intounderstanding a little bit more
about the neuroplasticity ofthis.
So if you've never heard thatword before, neuroplasticity
means that with practice we canliterally rewire.
I find this so fascinating.
(08:42):
We can rewire our brains tohandle auditions better, so that
is actually really reassuring.
So know that, because everyaudition is different, you
actually have an amazingopportunity to start to rewire
connections in your brain toactually handle auditions better
and better each time, and themore you practice learning how
(09:05):
to calm your nervous systemwhich we'll do today the easier
it will become to do what youneed to do in that high stake
moment.
Okay, so, now that we know alittle bit more about why we get
nervous and what's happening inthe brain, let's talk about
some practical tools you can useto stay grounded when you're
there and take control duringyour audition experience.
(09:27):
So one of the easiest and mosteffective ways to calm your
nervous system is through yourbreath.
I have been teaching yoga for alittle while, both online and
in person.
I've done about 400 hours inyoga teacher training and it's
something that I have foundreally helps my nervous system.
It always brings me back to thepresent moment and allows me to
(09:50):
disconnect from my brain andgets me into my body, and one
part of yoga that I learned wasbreath work and the power that
it has over our nervous system.
It's actually a direct linkinto our nervous system when you
actually take deep, slowbreaths.
If someone's come up to you andsays, oh, just breathe deep or
take a few deep breaths, let'sactually unpack.
(10:11):
That it's actually telling yourbrain hey, it's all good, we're
safe.
So before you walk into a room,let's try this simple breathing
exercise.
So just take a moment, if it'ssafe to do so, close your eyes
and just calm down the body alittle bit, and you can just use
(10:31):
this simple practice at anypoint in time when you feel you
just need to ground.
This is a practice that I do atany point I'm feeling like
things are a bit overwhelmingand just to bring you back into
center.
So notice the in and out flowof your breath, not trying to
(10:52):
change it at all, just noticingit.
It can be nice to put one handon your belly and maybe one hand
on your chest and just noticingthe rise and fall of your
breath, acknowledge that you arebreathing, that you are human,
(11:14):
that you're not a machine, whichwe sometimes like to treat our
bodies like.
And then, when it feels safe todo so, we are going to do a
breathing practice very quickand all you need to do is we'll
breathe in for four counts.
We'll hold for four counts andthen we're going to exhale for
(11:35):
six counts.
We're going to do it just a fewtimes and just notice how your
heart rate will begin to slowdown and slowly, bit by bit,
your mind will start to clear.
So when you're ready, we'llinhale for one, two, three, four
(12:04):
and pause.
Two, three, four and thenexhale two, three, four, five,
six and inhale two, two, three,four and exhale all the air out
of the belly.
Four, five, six deeper into thebelly.
Two, three, four and pause two,three, four, exhale all the air
(12:29):
out three, four, five, six, onemore.
Inhale two, three, four andpause two, three, four and
exhale out all the air as muchas you can, squeezing in the
belly, getting all that exhaleout of the breath and then
(12:54):
return to just your normalbreath.
If you close your eyes, you canopen your eyes now and just take
a little bit of inventory.
How do you feel?
Do you feel a little bit morecalm?
Do you feel a little bit more,less stressed, and just know if
the mind is still racing alittle bit.
That is totally normal.
This is a practice overall, butthis some really cool science
(13:14):
about this.
All that you need to know isthat when you actually exhale
longer than you inhale, youactually activate the
parasympathetic nervous system,which is the opposite of that
fight and flight response.
Before we were in thisheightened sense where we needed
to either fight or run away.
But with this practice exercisewhere we're exhaling longer
(13:38):
than we inhale, we actuallysignal to our brain and our body
to chill out and to calm down,because when we're actually in a
calm and safe environment, ourbodies naturally exhale longer
than we inhale, and vice versa,for in a high pressure situation
we usually inhale sharper,quicker, more than we exhale.
So by actually using your powerof your breath, which is
(14:00):
completely free, you can usethis exercise at any point and
if you felt that this exercisehas helped you in any way,
please send me a message and useit in auditions.
There's times where I've usedjust a simple noticing the
breath, inhaling through thenose and out through the nose,
and just utilizing the exhalemore.
As I'm learning choreography, Ifound that my brain is a lot
(14:21):
more tuned in.
So this is one of the easiestand most effective ways to calm
your nervous system through yourbreath.
And when you really understandthat, by taking intentional deep
breaths, slow breaths.
You then just continue to tellyour brain that it's safe, it's
all good, and you can start tomove forward with a little bit
more awareness.
Like I said, I do this all thetime and I actually remember one
(14:43):
audition where I was feelingsuper jittery.
I just didn't know what to dowith my body.
I think I don't know exactlywhich one it was, but I remember
just feeling like the nerveswere just overtaking a bit and I
was like hold on.
I didn't even know if I evenwanted the show that bad.
Anyway, I just rememberstepping outside a little bit
before going in and taking a fewmindful breaths like this, even
(15:05):
just for two minutes, and Ijust walked back in like I was.
I felt like a completelydifferent person.
It allowed me to just quicklycenter in, and I've also used
this on the train going intowork, when I've had to go on for
a cover that I've never been onbefore.
Just tap back into your breath.
It's something that you don'thave to even tune into from the
outside.
You don't need to pay anyone.
This is an exercise that youdon't have to even tune into
from the outside.
(15:26):
You don't need to pay anyone.
This is an exercise that youcan start to develop and, trust
me, you will start to seeimmediate impact and immediate
results.
So let's get into a fun trick.
So did you know that thenervous system and excitement
actually feel pretty much thesame in the body?
So when you're feeling reallyexcited oh, I'm so excited, this
is going to happen nervesactually in the body.
(15:46):
So when you're feeling reallyexcited oh, I'm so excited, this
is gonna happen nerves actuallyin the body feel and present
themselves very similar.
So it's all about actually howyou label things.
So let's get into a little bitabout reframing and how this can
impact and help you.
So, instead of telling yourselfI'm nervous and this is gonna be
terrible a lot of the time,because, again, if we go back to
the start, we're just wantingto be safe.
(16:08):
Our body likes certainty, ourbrain loves certainty, it wants
to know that it's going to beokay.
And if you've particularly hada bad experience in a past
audition, you're now bringingthat experience into this one
and just know you don't have tobe.
Know that this is a completelynew audition.
This is a completely newexperience.
It's all got to do with how youpresent yourself and how you
(16:30):
actually walk into that momentand you have complete control
over that.
So, trying this, if you now knowthat excitement and nerves are
similar in the body you canstart to shift into, instead of
saying I'm nervous, you can Ajust go okay, I'm feeling a
little bit nervous, but I'm alsoreally excited.
So by actually reframing this,you'll be amazed at how this
(16:51):
tiny shift can actually start totrick your brain into relaxing.
Because when you are excited,you're actually telling your
brain that you want to be there.
It's putting yourself into I'mready to fight, I'm ready to
like, I really want to be here,as opposed to when we're feeling
nervous and unsure, we backaway and don't show up as our
best selves.
So another way that you canstay grounded is by doing a
(17:14):
quick physical groundingexercise.
So right before you walk intothe room, just press your feet
firmly onto the ground.
Say to your body we are here.
A simple tool that I love to doeven is to actually rock up to
an audition, 20 to 30 minutesbefore they say.
Science says that it takesabout 20 minutes for your body
(17:34):
to regulate to a new environment.
If you actually rock up, ifyou've got five minutes to spare
, your nervous system is stilltrying to take on all the
outside information to actuallyregulate, to be in that
environment.
I saw this it was a video or adoctor said if you're coming
home from work or a stressfulday, sometimes it's actually
really nice to just tell yourpartner or your family, if
(17:55):
possible, to just give you 20minutes so you can just allow
yourself to come home, leavewhatever you've just gone
through if it's beenparticularly hard or anything on
and outside the door so you canjust be home with where you
need to be.
This is just so powerful andI've even started to implement
this into coming to work.
I go to work a lot earlier,just so you can start to tell
(18:15):
your nervous system that, okay,we're in this environment, this
is where we need to be.
So a last little note on nervesand how you can stay a little
bit more grounded and navigate.
It is visualization To onnerves and how you can stay a
little bit more grounded andnavigate.
It is visualization To any ofmy people out there, that
students out there and anyonethat follows this podcast.
If you are into visualizationor you're even just able to
(18:36):
learn visually, if you find thatyou find yourself that you
really excel when it comes tovisually seeing something to
learn.
This is going to be a reallypowerful exercise that you can
do.
So I want you to close your eyes, if it's safe to do so again,
and just picture yourselfwalking into that audition room
with confidence.
Start to see the panel smilingback at you.
(18:57):
See yourself nailing the song,that monologue, whatever it is.
Actually picture the wholeentire room loving your
performance.
This actually primes your brainfor the success that you're
looking for, and so when youactually walk in, you already
feel like you've got it, becauseyou've mentally rehearsed for
(19:19):
your brain to start looking forthose signs.
And this isn't about justvisualize it and then it's just
going to happen.
Really get into the feeling ofit, because right now, I
guarantee you, nine times out often we're going into auditions,
going oh, there's no way I'mgoing to be as good as that
person, or a lot of the ninetimes out of ten, we're not
actually focusing on what can goreally well.
(19:39):
What if you smash this audition?
How would that feel?
What if the panel love you?
What if you're the exact personthat they're looking for?
Like?
How amazing would that feel?
And then I really love to playthis part because there is that
sense of.
Maybe you're asking, taylor, ifI go in there and I'm positive
and I vision that it's all goingto go well and parts of it
(20:02):
don't, what was the point?
And my point to tell you, isn'tit so much better to go in with
the right frame of mind that'ssupporting you, that's expecting
a good result, and then, if youfumble, you go oh, I can work
on that.
Then go into it with supernegative and mindset that you
can never do those things andthen have that pressure added
(20:22):
pressure onto the auditionexperience itself.
So it's actually got more to dowith, like, how you process the
audition experience and Iguarantee you, if you can just
start to position your mindsetin a way that's actually going
to support you from thebeginning, before you've even
jumped in, you're actually, agoing to do a lot better and, b
you're actually going to enjoythe process a lot more, because
(20:44):
you're going to be priming yourbrain to look for things that
are in your visualization,picturing yourself nailing the
song, doing better than youthought in the dance round.
And again, when we're goingback to the science of the brain
and the body, your braindoesn't actually know the
difference between past, presentand future.
It's only ever in the present,and when you start to see and
(21:07):
visualize in your brain thingsgoing the way you want them,
your brain and your bodyactually start to look for those
things.
So the opportunities start topresent themselves and you
actually will start to see amassive shift in the actions
that you take.
Okay, so let's wrap up with abit of a mindset shift for us,
and I want you to start thinkingabout auditions as
opportunities.
I think they're alreadynerve-wracking, right, and I
(21:28):
think, when it comes to themindset shift that is going to
most best support you first ofall just acknowledge if you
don't love auditioning, that'stotally fine.
There are lots, and there are alot to go through, especially
when each of them is sodifferent.
It's oh, how can I get ahead ofthis?
Because it's always changing.
So I want you to start thinkingabout them as just
opportunities.
So I want you to start thinkingabout them as just
(21:49):
opportunities.
What opportunity is thispresenting for me?
And that is a really cool thingto go in with, because these
are the moments to show up,these are the moments to have
fun, this is the moment toexpress and give yourself and
showcase the things that you'vebeen working on.
So casting directors and thepanel really want to see who you
(22:10):
are.
They're actually rooting foryou.
They want the best people intheir production and so they
actually want you to succeed.
No one is there like wishingyou would do bad, like they want
the best of the best there.
So, if we're coming in, imagineif you were interviewing
someone and they didn't believein themselves and they didn't
feel like they were up to doingit or they don't believe that
(22:31):
they would do.
You probably wouldn't hire themright, because you, as a, as a
business owner, want the bestpossible people, people that
believe in themselves andbelieve in the production that
they're presenting.
It's not about being perfect atthe end of the day, it's just
about showing your personalityand what you can uniquely bring
to that production.
Yeah, so the next time you stepinto a room I hope that this
(22:54):
episode has given you a littlebit more understanding of why
we're getting nervous and justremember to take that deep
breath, that mindful breath,start to exhale more than you
inhale and use it as a chance toplay.
Know that you have nothing tolose and something to gain from
each audition and just know thatyou've got everything you need
to shine.
Trust in your abilities, trustin that all the training that
(23:16):
you've done has led you to thismoment.
So this is a moment for you toown that room, own what you have
to share and give it your all.
So, yeah, that's a wrap up fortoday.
I hope this episode has givenyou some insights into why we
get nervous.
More importantly, that's a wrapup for today.
I hope this episode has givenyou some insights into why we
get nervous.
More importantly, how tocontrol these nerves, and
remember that auditions are justthat step, one extra step in
(23:38):
the journey.
They're not the be all, end all.
And with these tools today, Ijust hope that you're going to
be able to walk in with the roomand feeling a little bit more
grounded, confident.
Confident and ready to havesome fun, as always.
If you feel like these tipstoday have been helpful, I'd
love for you to give them a tryat your next audition or even in
class.
If you're feeling like you wantto start practicing them now
(24:00):
and DM me, message me.
I love hearing from thecommunity.
I get messages nearly everyother day about an episode or a
resource.
If you're looking for moreresources, in particular, in
workbooks.
I have an audition prepworkbook, which we actually help
you map out your best casescenario and build actions from
that so that you can go in witha clear head and with the
(24:20):
confidence that you need.
That will be accessible eitherthrough my website and all the
links will be in below of thispodcast episode.
There's other resources thatare happening there and things
coming out.
There's an upcoming masterclasswhere I'm presenting how to go
from being a graduate to being afull-time professional
performer.
Stay on the lookout for that,and I hope you have a wonderful
(24:43):
rest of your week.
You totally got this.
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