Ridiculous meeting anxiety- anyone else?

[saffysue]

I've had to stand in for my boss in a couple of meetings this week. Both times I've felt my adrenaline rising, felt shaky and struggled not to show how I'm feeling when speaking.

This is despite the fact that I feel like I know what I'm taking about and don't have any worries about my ability to handle the meeting. Also, they were online so I was in the comfort of my own home and could have just switched the camera/mic off anytime!

AIBU to think I'm ridiculous and everyone else just seems to handle these things with no problem? Can anyone sympathise?

It's like a physical reaction and I just don't know what my body thinks is about to happen. I'm feeling very embarrassed that people may have noticed 😞

@Vittoriosa

I have exactly the same issue. I speak confidently at meetings with less senior figures. I now have a weekly meeting with senior figures and other managers. I have to prepare and present feedback and even though I can essentially read from a sheet and am in my own home, I feel the panic rising from the night before. I tell myself no one can hear my voice shaking but dont know if its true. I would rather not take medicine for a weekly meeting but I feel like I am going to end up having to. As a manager i feel i cant talk to my boss about it without it making me look incompetent. It would also be noticeable if i didnt present. I feel really sorry for everyone who is also suffering with this - it is so debilitating

I'm glad it's not just me but I'm sorry you're going through it too, it's horrible isn't it.

I'd say your feelings are pretty normal. Most people experience this sort of nervousness. I'm very senior in my work, and I still get a bit sweaty-palmed at certain meetings. 10 years ago, there were meetings when I'd take a deep breath before I walked into the room.

But practice & just doing lots of meetings helps.

Also, small talk and manners. "How is everyone?" "Isn't the weather lovely/depressing/whatever?"

And as you've fund out, really knowing your stuff.

I wouldn't pathologise it: it's perfectly normal.

I spend my whole day training adults in large numbers, and suffer with generalised anxiety disorder. I have good and bad days. But even when I get together with other trainers they too say they have good and bad days. So it happens to even the experienced of us!

I get this. I actually shake during a telephone conference that I do daily. I do wonder why but I literally don't care. I also have / had chronic blushing that I also (mostly) don't care about. It's just me. Take it or leave it. I couldn't give a toss if someone thinks less of me for it. Tell yourself that people love you and you are amazing and competent. Someone suggested wearing it like armour on another thread. I liked that.

If you watch game of thrones, there's a great line from Tyrion Lannister about being a dwarf - "wear it like armour, it can never be used to hurt you"

I have fetched the comment from another thread so impressed with it I was!

Hey all chronic blusher here when growing up, now not so much blushing but intense flushing from adrenaline in these kind of situations. It's been the bane of my life, but propranolol helps. The thing that sets me off most is having phone conversations in the office when everyone else is dead silent, I can just feel them all listening. And you can't really prepare for that like you can with a meeting, as phone rings when you're all relaxed and concentrating on something else. Dreading going back to the office purely because of this... Feel rather pathetic as an otherwise fairly confident and competent 34 year old 😡