I'm amazed with myself right now So I took up an acting class in September. I'm a film student and it's apart of my requirements. I put it off for 3 years and then realized that because I'm in my last year, it needed to be completed. I could have whinned and complained to the dean about how I have anxiety and I get really nervous infront of an audience. Some have, and they will allow you to take the general class instead. But I thought it would be good for me, as much as I was dreading it.

I have ALWAYS had a fear of public speaking, so throwing me up infront of a crowd just terrified me. Unfortunately, the prof that I thought I wass getting had to teach another class and I ended up with a prof who does Improv EVERY single class :O I was so scared and up until now I've been having anxiety when I got up and despite it not being terrible, I felt like it was affecting my performance.

So last night we had our improv test and boy was I nervous!! Not only did we have to go up once, but twice. I just kept on thinking, why did I take this class? I could have taken the easy route and taken the non performing class. How stupid of me. But then my name was called, I got up infront of the class and for the first time in my life, ALL My nerves were gone, all the anxiety, I have NEVER been so calm before infront of an audience. I just felt extremely focused. I sat back down and my friends said I did really well. Then I had to go up for the second round and same thing again, so calm. My one friend even commented on it when I sat back down, she said "boy, you sounded so amazingly calm up there. It was like an out of body experience.
I just wanted to say, facing your fears is extemely difficult but after last night, I'm SO glad I decided to take a performance class and challenge myself and my anxiety. Positive thinking DOES work!!