Stage Fright! Tips and Tricks

Even though I have been singing and performing in front of people for a really long time, I still get stage fright. I am a firm believer in the saying, "If you're not nervous about something, it means you don't care about the result." If I care about what I sound like, what people think of me, or what I am presenting, I think it is ok to be a little nervous! One thing I do to prevent or deal with my stage fright is called "square breathing". I trace a square in front of me with my pointer finger starting in the bottom left corner. As I trace the side of the square going up, I breathe in for 4 beats. As I trace the square across the top, I "suspend" my air for 4 beats. As I trace the side of the square down, I breathe out for 4 beats. Lastly, when I trace the square across the bottom, I suspend the air again for 4 beats. Then I repeat. This helps me focus on my breathing and distracts me from my nerves. Also, it allows me to relax and slow my heart rate down. I love this method, and have been doing it for a long time. I also do some "square breathing" if I am feeling anxious or nervous about other things in general, and I find that it really helps me.
Here is a diagram of square breathing:

source: https://goo.gl/VyZl7d

Some other techniques that I use to prevent or address stage fright are: drinking water, looking in the mirror and giving myself a "pep talk," going for a walk, and of course, PRACTICING! If I feel practiced, I will be more confident in my performance.

I also have a presentation that I used for my Public Speaking class that addresses Stage Fright. You can view it here!

What are your tips for stage fright? Let me know below.