The 66th
Emmy Awards ceremony airs tonight. For the first time in probably my entire
adult life, I am actually planning to watch the ceremony. I have seen some of
the nominated programs, and I am rooting for a few actors to bring home a
statue. However, my greatest interest in the broadcast is to “virtually”
support Seth Meyers.
I have watched
his new talk show, Late Night with Seth
Meyers, since it first aired in February 2014. To be honest, I was initially
skeptical about the series’ potential; but as the months passed I found myself
laughing as much or more as I did when I watched Jay Leno. I find that Mr. Meyers
has a more adult sensibility than most of his late-night peers, which really
resonates with my sense of humor. Or maybe I just appreciate the way he greets
his audience each night, always taking care to ask: “Is everyone well?” Ever
the impeccable host, he could almost be hosting a dinner party.
Since this is
his time hosting the Emmys, I can’t help but wonder if he is nervous. Of
course, he is not lacking in experience as an Emcee: in2010 he hosted the 2010
ESPY Awards, and the following year he made the President of the United States
laugh at the 2011 Correspondents Dinner. Telling jokes and making people laugh
and feel at ease without making fun is his forte. But just in case Mr. Meyers is feeling a little nervous before he
steps on-stage, here are some suggestions to help him strengthen his
self-confidence and control of the room before the curtain rises:
·
Eat a nutritious meal. Be sure to eat a
nutritious meal—or at least a hearty snack—that contains protein before you
begin the show. Protein helps to stabilize blood-sugar levels, which in turn
prevents moodiness and lower anxiety. I know chicken is your favorite food, so
a piece of roasted chicken would be a good choice.
·
Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine and
alcohol both affect suggestibility, so hold off drinking either of these
beverages until the party. (Make sure you have a designated driver if you have
alcohol!)
·
Activate your anchor. Take a few minutes
to think about similar successful events you have hosted in the past. Visualize,
imagine, picture or pretend that you are there again. How did you feel? What
was your level of enthusiasm? Confidence? Excitement/enjoyment of that event?
When you have a good sense of this experience in your mind, press your thumb
and index finger together of either hand to anchor that good, positive energy.
Every time you activate that anchor this way, you will be giving yourself
another jolt of that positive energy. (Good news: You can do this when your
hand is behind your back, in a pocket, behind the podium, etc. and no one has
to know!)
·
Remember who you are. Make a mental list
of your accomplishments to remind yourself why you are the perfect host for the
2014 Emmy Awards. You are a master comedian—former head writer of Saturday Night Live!—and you host your
own talk show. You are the voice of your very own super-hero show, The Awesomes, on Hulu.
·
Deep breathing. Practice diaphragmatic
breathing and visualization to really get yourself in your zone for tonight. Draw
a slow, deep breath through your nose; hold it four three or four seconds and
then release the air through your mouth. Breathing this way not only relaxes
the tension in your physical body; it also provides a tangible example (proof)
that you can control a specific physical behavior. Repeat this exercise several
times until you notice that your pulse/heartbeat returns to its normal
(resting) rate. Each time you inhale: visualize, imagine, picture or pretend
that you are drawing in confidence, relaxation, humor/inspiration for impromptu
jokes, a positive/receptive audience and/or any other positive affirmation. Each
time you exhale: visualize, imagine, picture or pretend that you are releasing
any negative emotion, anxiety, etc. to the universe where it can no longer
affect you or anyone else. (Repeat as necessary.)
·
Visualization. Visualize, imagine,
picture or pretend that you are on the stage. Mentally rehearse your jokes;
hear the laughter and applause and appreciation for your quips booming through
the theater. See yourself, smiling and becoming more and more confident and
relaxed as every moment of the awards ceremony goes by. Activate each of your
senses—smell, sound, sight, touch, even taste (if applicable) to really get a
sense of this event and your success. Remember: Your subconscious mind doesn’t
know the difference between fantasy and reality; in your SCM, you have already
nailed tonight’s gig! When you have a good image of this in your mind, activate
your anchor. You’re ready to take the stage!
Have a great
time tonight, Mr. Meyers! I know you will be Awesome.
Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in
Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation
Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®
and to set up an appointment, please
visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.
© 2014
