JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Mentor Questions Forum Getting over the fear?

Hi Robbie, and welcome!

Now, I can't relate to your shyness, (except for when I was wanting to talk to a girl in the 3rd grade, to hold hands), so I'll just give my perspective on things that may concern you.

I did however have panic attacks from a very unbalanced chemical setup in my brain. Serotonin has completely and thankfully taken care of that! Simple, yet so long in getting to that point. (over 35 years). But even through the panic attacks, I was out and about doing things. I was shy though when those attacks would come on.

There were times I was called on to pitch big games in baseball, or to run a landscaping crew, or recently, to play at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, thanks to a long time friend who gave a few of us a great night to remember. If I said to myself, "Hmmm, I'm shy, and I don't know how I will do, playing that supreme hall, and with hit song pros all around", I wouldn't have had the time of my life there!

Music is to be heard, whether new songs at coffee houses, which will get polite applause anyway, or in some clubs or street gigs where they block off the main road for a day.

Life is WAY too short to be concerned over not being great or accepted by the masses. I am not great. Most are not. And all people want to hear live music! They go out and will hear anything! They may not come back, or they might. But they do give us musicians a chance. Your chance then is to bring a positive attitude to them, as if they are your friends, even before meeting them, or presenting your songs to them. No one expects Paul McCartney when someone presents their songs and sound and style.

Forget the shyness! For now on, do NOT say again that you are shy. Edit that statement out of your soundclick page. It's useless, other than to keep you in your shell. What for? The world is an exciting place to experience. You are missing out on times that will add up your experience of playing out, and doing things. Laugh, be almost reckless in your quest to have fun. ALLOW yourself the time of your life while here for this short time we are gifted in having.

People want to see confidence. They beg for the performers NOT to be shy. They will love most who just give a good effort in "trying" to entertain them! Don't embarrass them by being shy in any way. They feel bad when that happens. People want to feel good, right? So do you, right? Well, both sides of the stage floor are people just waiting for somebody to start the FUN! Let it be YOU whenever playing a song for anyone, anywhere, under any circumstance. WHY NOT?! The other way is to let yourself down, and to let the listeners down. All they want is a good effort and PASSION!

If you love playing, and even just like your songs,,,then let your inner passion come alive and be free with it. Forget your past thoughts. Make yourself think new thoughts. Those new thoughts will bring on new action. You won't be able to help it!

If all that fails, ask a doctor to give you blood tests for related brain chemicals that may be out of whack.

What gets accomplished by being shy? Just more shyness. If that is what you want, then keep on being shy. If not, then stop thinking you are shy! And stop saying it! Your ears are really close to your mouth.

Now move on and do something about it! People are waiting for something, anything to listen to!

LIVE! ENJOY! SHARE YOUR PASSION! If you don't have passion, get some! Why do music without passion and excitement? Might as well have people stare at a blank wall.

All the best to you Robbie,

Johnny