Singing with Confidence: Reframing Anxiety as Exciteme
Every singer has felt it: the rush of nerves before singing in front of others. Your heart races, your hands get clammy, and suddenly that easy breath support from the practice room feels like it’s gone missing.
The truth is that nerves are part of being human, and even professional singers feel them from time to time. But the way we meet those nerves can make the difference between feeling blocked and feeling alive in our singing.
A fabulous way to validate your current experience while transforming it into a productive state is to remind yourself that...
Anxiety and excitement are almost identical in the brain, chemically and physiologically.
Here’s why:
1. Same Stress Hormones
Both anxiety and excitement trigger the sympathetic nervous system, in which your body releases...
Adrenaline (epinephrine): boosts heart rate, increases blood flow, sharpens focus.
Cortisol: increases alertness and mobilizes energy.
You can already see how these effects could take on a positive or a negative spin, depending on your internal narrative or focal point.
2. Nearly Identical Physical Symptoms
Both states can look and feel the same:
Rapid heartbeat
Sweaty palms
Shallow breathing or butterflies in the stomach
Heightened alertness
The body doesn’t really distinguish between “good stress” (eustress) and “bad stress” (distress), it just prepares you for action.
3. The Key Difference: Interpretation
The biggest difference between excitement and anxiety is the story your brain tells about what’s happening.
If your brain says: “This is dangerous, I’m at risk,” → you experience it as anxiety.
If your brain says: “This is thrilling, I’m ready to jump into the action,” → you experience it as excitement.
This is why researchers call them two sides of the same coin. Psychologists even use a technique called reappraisal, where you consciously label anxious sensations as excitement — and studies show it can improve performance in things like public speaking and test-taking.
So next time you feel the jitters and they're messing with you, turn the situation into a little acting exercise. What if I was playing a character, and this character was excited about what they're about to do, not nervous?
Happy practicing!
Coach Nelle