7 Ways to Calm Your Mind Before the Contest
You are on the bus.
The uniforms are packed. The instruments are nearby. People around you may be joking, sleeping, listening to music, or pretending they are not nervous.
And maybe your emotions are starting to climb.
Your heart is beating faster. Your stomach feels strange. You are thinking about the show.
You are thinking about the judges. You are thinking about the one place in the drill where you sometimes struggle.
That is normal.
You do not have to get rid of every nervous feeling.
You just need to keep those feelings from controlling you.
Here are seven simple exercises you can do right now, while you are still on the bus.
Slow Your Breathing
When you become nervous, your breathing often becomes quicker and shallower.
So, start there.
Sit comfortably and breathe in slowly through your nose for four counts.
Hold for two counts.
Then breathe out slowly for six counts.
Try it again.
In for 4. Hold for 2. Out for 6.
Do this four or five times.
The long exhale is important. It tells your body that it does not need to stay in full alarm mode.
Do not force the breath.
Just slow it down.
Relax Your Body One Area at a Time
Nerves often hide in your muscles.
You may not even realize how tightly you are holding your shoulders, jaw, hands, or legs.
Try this:
Tighten your shoulders for three seconds.
Then release them.
Clench your hands.
Then release them.
Press your feet into the floor.
Then relax.
Tighten your jaw slightly.
Then let it go.
As you release each muscle group, notice the difference.
You are teaching your body that it does not have to stay tense just because you are excited.
Name What You Are Feeling
Sometimes emotions feel bigger because they are vague.
Instead of thinking:
I feel terrible.
Try naming the feeling more accurately.
Maybe it is:
I am nervous.
I am excited.
I am worried about one part of the show.
I really want to do well.
Those are different feelings.
Naming the emotion helps separate you from it.
You are not "a nervous person."
You are simply experiencing nervousness right now.
And feelings change.
Use the Five-Senses Reset
If your mind is racing ahead to the performance, bring it back to the present.
Without saying anything out loud, notice:
5 things you can see.
Maybe a uniform bag, a window, a seat, a friend, a water bottle.
4 things you can feel.
The seat beneath you. Your shoes. Your hands. The air from the vent.
3 things you can hear.
The bus engine. Someone talking. Music through headphones.
2 things you can smell.
Maybe bus air, food, grass when the door opens.
1 thing you can appreciate right now.
Maybe the people around you.
Maybe the opportunity to perform.
Maybe the fact that your band made it this far.
This exercise pulls your mind away from imagined problems and brings it back to where you actually are.
Replace the Worst-Case Story
Your brain may start creating a movie about everything that could go wrong.
What if I miss my entrance?
What if I forget a set?
What if I drop something?
What if everybody notices?
When that happens, stop the story.
Replace it with something more useful.
Instead of:
What if I mess up?
Say:
I know how to recover.
Instead of:
What if I get nervous?
Say:
I have performed while nervous before.
Instead of:
What if something goes wrong?
Say:
I will stay in the show and keep moving forward.
You do not need to convince yourself that nothing can go wrong.
You simply need to remind yourself that you can handle what happens.
Picture One Successful Moment
Do not try to mentally perform the entire show.
Choose one moment.
Maybe it is the opening set.
Maybe it is your favorite musical phrase.
Maybe it is a big impact point.
Maybe it is the final chord.
Close your eyes for a few seconds and picture that moment going well.
See where you are.
Hear the sound.
Feel your posture.
Picture yourself breathing normally and performing with confidence.
Then stop.
You do not need to rehearse every possibility in your head.
One successful image is enough to remind your brain what preparation feels like.
Choose One Word
Before you step off the bus, choose one word you want to carry onto the field.
Not ten words.
One.
Maybe:
Calm.
Strong.
Focused.
Confident.
Together.
Breathe.
Perform.
When your emotions start to rise later, return to that word.
It becomes your reset button.
You Do Not Have to Feel Calm to Perform Well
This may be the most important thing to remember.
You do not have to eliminate nervousness before you perform.
Some of the best performances happen while people are nervous.
The goal is not to feel nothing.
The goal is to stay in control of what you do next.
Breathe.
Relax your shoulders.
Notice where you are.
Trust your preparation.
Stay connected to the people around you.
And when that bus door opens, do not ask yourself whether you feel perfectly calm.
Ask yourself a better question:
Am I ready to take the next step?
If the answer is yes, then stand up, grab what you need, and go be part of the show.
