A reader asks: What's the difference between feeling "frozen" or "grounded" on a stage? If you like to watch more than read, then this video version of my answer is for you.
It's been blazing hot in Portland recently which made this the perfect month to write to you about "freezing" on stage. In a recent letter to "Ask Gigi," a reader asks:
I wanted to know the difference between appearing grounded versus frozen on stage. Since in either case, you're going to be still as far as body language is concerned.
Here's how I untangled my answer to this question:
Grounded is how you want to feel as a speaker. But being grounded doesn't mean you need to be still or freeze. In fact, you can feel grounded while you're moving, using your hands and even walking on a stage.
Freezing or standing still on a stage will not automatically make you feel grounded. And I can't think of a reason you'd want to freeze. You might pause or hold still during a dramatic moment but freezing isn't in my toolkit. Unless, I was adding it for a moment of comedy and that would all depend on my content.
Practice feeling grounded every day
Many years ago, at a speaking gig, I was so nervous (and ungrounded) that it felt like an out-of-body experience, which only served to freak me out even more.
Then, I discovered that feeling grounded is something I can practice everyday.
Next time you take a walk, feel your feet as they hit the ground. Feel the earth supporting you. The beauty of gravity is that's it's always there to help you feel grounded.
Then, next time you give a presentation, remember to stand with your feet hips-width apart, weight even. Feel your feet on the floor and feel that support — always there to both hold you up and help you feel rooted.