Nerve Options

[wannabegood]

Morning, often read the messages, but have only just decided to join. I am currently waiting, not so patiently for my grade 5 theory results and also my grade 3 piano which I took last Saturday. I was just wondering if anyone has any tips for controlling my nerves. Have always suffered during my exams (I am grade 5 Sax and Clarinet) and was recommended the Bach remedy. But after taking what must have amounted to half a bottle in my cup of tea and also sprays on the tongue, I walked into the examination room and completely went to pieces...although well prepared and I ended up as a quivering wreck and came out in tears, not good for a 40 year old women! Help needed please, am seriously thinking of giving up on the lessons.

[dolce@piano]

Hello wannabegood.

Although I might get shot down in flames, as a teacher, I know LOTS of people who've tried LOTS of different anti-nerves/anti-stress medicines and techniques.

And overall I don;t think they work and the reason is, I reckon, that people EXPECT them to work and expect not to feel nervous so when they do feel nervous they panic. And it's even worse than in the first place.

I think you have to embrace the nerves i.e. I WILL feel nervous. stressed, nauseous, whatever, it's 100% normal. everyone else does. And, then, bit by bit, in my experience, without really noticing it, you feel less and less nervous.

(NB There was a big world-wide study on pain in child-birth where first-time mothers-to-be rated how painful they expected childbirth to be and compared it with the level of painkillers finally needed. Dutch women expected childbirth to be the most painful AND ended up needing the lowest level of painkillers).