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Overcomming Self consciousness

Wed, 9 July 2003, 11:47 am
Walter Plinge12 posts in thread
I'm a pretty shy person and i have diffuculty with overwhelming self consciusness in life but when i'm acting it's gone whether it be as a character or myself.

Anyway I'm after any advice for tackling this problem, its not a good way to go through life , I feel as if i'm watching my self all the time without being in tune to whats around me. The more I act with my immagination the more it goes but it keeps comming back when i stop using it.

Thanks

Re: Overcoming Self consciousness

Thu, 10 July 2003, 12:52 pm
Actually Craig, I'd completely disagree with you one one score. I think entering a social situation by presenting a character only perpetuates the problem. I know this from experience.

I am an essentially very shy person. People who think I'm a complete bitch (you know who you are) think so because I almost always appear aloof and unfriendly around people I don't know. I'm usually desperately trying to think of something to say and feeling like a complete tool. Most of my good friends hated me when we first met because they say I ignored them and came off as a snob. A lot of people have this problem and not always the people you'd think.

I tried to "act" like a person who was outgoing, to play the part of a friendly chatty type. Didn't work. Couldn't maintain the charade without a script and a director. I decided that they way I would tackle it would be to do the exact opposite; to just be completely me. I endevour always to speak with an authentic voice. To express myself from my gut and heart instead of from my head. It won't always make you the most popular person at the party, and occasionally you will offend people but if you committ to saying what you think, you always have something to say! And you find that you stop worrying so desperately what other people think of you.

Its hard but it really is worth the effort. Have you ever been dragged out to some social occasion you felt to nervous to go to, had someone approach you and start a conversation, then ended up meeting a whole bunch of new people and having a blast? Sometimes you just need to swallow the lump in our throat and give it a go, or you really miss out on a lot.

Anyone else seeking advice please see my self help book; "Sometimes life sucks. Deal with it." (Free smack upside the head with every purchase)

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