5 Life-Saving Strategies For Managing Pre-Event Jitters

Your event is in a few days. You’ve got the pre-event jitters big time! You’re not sure if you’re going to melt down, explode or both.

Sound familiar?

Don’t worry, Goddess. You’re not alone. I’ve SO been there!! And truth be told, I still get the pre-event jitters.

The energy before a live event, whether it’s a 2-hour evening talk or a 3-day event, is BIG! And the closer you get to the event, the more you pick up on the energy of all those coming, especially if you’re an empathy. You’ve gotta be able to manage your stress so you can expand your own energy and hold the space for all those coming to your event.

Not only that, knowing how to manage your stress leading up to the event as powerfully as how you show up to lead your event will have a huge impact on the success of your event and your sustainability in the days and months beyond your event.

So how do you manage your pre-event jitters for ultimate success?

Well, start with the basics:

1. Drink lots of water. (I like adding lemon to my water to get the added alkalinity.)
2. Eat lots of healthy, easily digestible foods.
3. Get good protein.
4. Leave out the alcohol.

This is a great place to begin. Yet I know if you’re like me, drinking lots of water and eating healthy foods might already be part of your daily practice. So what else can you do?

Well, you’ve gotta manage yourself like you would manage a small child. Really! You get to be the wise, loving adult who grabs hold of your inner little girl that might freak out and put her on a regimen.

Here are my 5 hottest tips for managing your pre-event jitters (and saving your life!): J

Pre-Event Life-Saving Strategy #1: Get Exercise.

Whatever it is you enjoy doing: dance, run, get outside, go to a yoga class, go surfing. You’ve gotta keep your energy MOVING!

Pre-Event Life-Saving Strategy #2: Connect With Your Team.

Talk with the people who will be at the event, supporting you. Let them know you’re nervous and excited. Let them know it feels good to be connected. This helps you tap into their support and reminds you that you are not alone!

Pre-Event Life-Saving Strategy #3: Get Prepared.

If you’re leading a 2-hour evening talk or other speaking gig, have everything you need, ready to go, at least 48 hours in advance. If you’re leading a big 3-day event, be all prepared one week in advance.

Walk through the event with your team, touching on every section. Talk through the details of how it’s all going to go, from the introduction of you up to the stage to handling the many details of any complicated exercises, to meals and more. Really – all of it! This will help you identify the areas requiring extra staff or special tasks for the volunteers. This will also help calm you down.

The week before I was going to lead my largest 3-day live event ever (with over 500 women registered), I had everything prepared to go one week in advance. All my notes were dialed in. I even had a friend come over and help me pick out which jewelry I was going to wear with each outfit! (I used to be such a tomboy! This part of my preparation always cracks me up!) This way, when I got to the event, I wouldn’t even need to think about these details.

This advanced prep allows you time before your event to rest, go through your script, get a massage, and get yourself calm and grounded so you can expand your energy field out and hold all those coming to participate.

Pre-Event Life-Saving Strategy #4: Warn Your Loved Ones! (Your Family & Friends Will Appreciate This One The Most!)

Warn the ones who are close to you – your inner circle of friends, your romantic partner, your family – that you might go a little crazy in the days leading up to your event. Ask for their support and forgiveness ahead of time! Let them know you might snap at them, or you might fall apart.

With advance warning, they’ll be more likely to hold space for you. They’ll get it: that you’re stretching beyond your comfort zone, expanding your leadership, and that this can bring stuff up (which is an understatement!). My sense is, they’ll appreciate getting the chance to be part of your support system, too, and may even surprise you with how they show up for you in the days leading up to your event.

Pre-Event Life-Saving Strategy #5: Schedule In Connection.

If I have too much space before an event, I go crazy. So I schedule in time with friends and loved ones who really understand what I’m about to do.

As we head into leading a big event, all kinds of insecurities can arise – are we prepared? What if we falter? Worse, what if we fall on our face and fail? What if nobody shows up? Who am I to lead this?

None of this inner craziness serves us – especially as we’re preparing to lead others through their own transformation! Which is why getting support and scheduling in connection with your dearest friends, business coach and mentors leading up to your event is essential. Let them hold you. Let them remind you of your greatness. Let them remind you of the wisdom you may forget, like how you’re amazing and you’ve got this!

So, Goddess… put all 5 of these Pre-Event Life-Saving Strategies into action before your next event and watch how your pre-event jitters soften so you can step into a space of calm confidence.

A few last reminders:

• It’s not about getting rid of the pre-event jitters completely. Some of those butterflies in your belly are helpful! They remind you that you care so much about what you’re about to do, and they tap you into your excitement.
• Don’t ask for it to be easier. Instead, ask to know your own strength.
• Know that your potential clients want you to do your best. And they want the real you. So don’t try to be somebody you’re not, like the “ideal leader” you think you’re supposed to be. Be you and do it your way! You’ll have way more fun and be able to support your potential clients in even more authentic and powerful ways.

When is your next event coming up? How can we support you?

You’ve got this, Sister!

And we’ve got YOU!

Hugs,
Sage

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