Riddhi (17) always felt her heart race and her mind go blank whenever she had to speak in front of a crowd. But she finally figured out why it happens—and how to handle it. Let’s find out more in That’s Puzzling!

I still remember the first time I had to speak in front of my class. My teacher called my name, and suddenly, my hands turned cold, my heart started beating like a drum, and my brain went completely blank. My mind screamed, Why me?!

I wanted to disappear. But instead, I walked to the front, stared at my classmates, mumbled something, and rushed back to my seat, hoping no one would remember that embarrassing 30 seconds.

If this sounds familiar, trust me, you are not alone.

The science behind stage fright

It turns out, what I felt that day was completely normal. Our brains are wired to react this way when we feel like we are being judged.

There is something called the fight-or-flight response—it is the body’s natural reaction to danger. Even though standing on a stage is not exactly life-threatening, our brain treats it like a survival situation. It releases stress hormones like adrenaline, making us sweat, shake, and forget our words.

Even top Bollywood actors like Shah Rukh Khan and cricketers like Virat Kohli have admitted to feeling nervous before big performances. If the biggest stars can feel stage fright, then what we experience is completely normal. The trick is to manage it.

So how do we overcome it?

After years of avoiding public speaking, I finally decided to face my fear—well, more like my mom decided for me. She coaxed me into joining a theatre class, saying it would help. At first, I wanted to run away, but surprisingly, it changed everything. Here are a few things that actually worked for me: 

1. Prepare, but do not overthink

The more prepared I was, the more confident I felt. But I also realized that memorizing every word made me more nervous. Instead, I focused on understanding the main points and speaking naturally.

2. Practice in front of a mirror (or a pet!)

I started rehearsing in front of my mirror, imagining my audience. Sometimes, I even practiced in front of my dog—he never judged me. It helped me feel more comfortable hearing my own voice out loud.

3. Breathe to calm your nerves

Right before speaking, I took deep breaths—inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, and exhale for 4. This stopped my heart from racing and helped me focus.

4. Fake confidence until it feels real

I once read that standing straight, making eye contact, and speaking slowly can trick your brain into feeling confident. So I tried it—and guess what? It actually worked.

5. Remember, no one is waiting for you to fail

Most of the time, people are not judging us as harshly as we think. I used to believe that if I messed up, everyone would laugh. But in reality, most people are just focused on their own thoughts (or even checking their phones!).

What happened next?

The next time I spoke in public, I still felt nervous. But instead of letting it control me, I used these tricks. I took a deep breath, smiled, and started speaking. Was it perfect? No. But did I survive? Yes. And the best part? It got easier each time.

So if you ever feel nervous before speaking, remember—even the biggest stars feel the same way. You just have to push through it, one speech at a time.

And who knows? Maybe one day, we will be watching you giving a speech on TV. 

Do you have anything on your mind? Share with us in the comment box below. Remember not to put any personal information in the comment box.