How do you loosen up?

You’re getting ready for a performance—maybe theater, maybe dance, maybe music, a playoff game, or perhaps the big presentation to the board. It’s extremely important you do well.

You are very nervous. What do you do to loosen up a bit? Drugs (legal or illegal)? Joking around? Playing practical jokes on folks you are working with? Going to the bathroom and crying?

What’s your way of loosening up, when you have too much tension to perform well?