Public Performance Anxieties?

[Diana]

I do dislike being at the center of attention, I tend to lurk in shadows. But it's not a fear just something I tend to avoid.

This is how I feel. I have always gravitated to the periphery of everything, though paradoxically I seem to draw attention. I'm an odd combination of introvert and extravert. My tendency is to be an observer, but when I am engaged in a situation or group or event, I embrace it and immerse. 

I don't like public speaking because of my tendency to be just an observer with people. Speaking is different than performing I think. In martial arts, we did demos and I performed in a group and solo. I was nervous before the performance, but not at all when I actually performed, which seems backwards. 

One thing about public speaking: It's like everything else. If you do it a lot, you get better at it and less anxiety is attached to it. I always found that when I had to speak publicly, I was nervous at first, but after speaking a while my voice calmed down and at that point I started to enjoy it.

Jim Morrison said:

Expose yourself to your deepest fear;
After that, fear has no power;
And the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes.
You are free.