The internet can be like the Wild West—unpredictable and hostile. It’s sometimes hard to keep your cool in this tough environment, but you need to strive for this. Read on to learn some tips and strategies for staying positive on stream.
Being positive during stream tech issues
Your controller stops working, your sound cuts out, and to top it off, you’re dropping frames! These things happen to everyone at some point and you can’t let yourself be flustered by it. It’s okay if things aren’t working out exactly as planned. Take a deep breath and remind yourself that people are watching to hang out with a real human being. They understand that things go wrong sometimes. And don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your viewers might be able to help you with tech issues since so many are common to gamers and streamers.
Staying positive in the face of trolls
Your stream is chugging along smoothly, and you’re having fun when suddenly someone comes in being a jerk. This is possibly the hardest time to stay positive while streaming. Our advice is, ignore them and/or lay down the ban hammer. If there’s ever anything in chat that makes you uncomfortable, it’s completely reasonable to get rid of it. Do not, however, engage with people that are being rude to you. Getting your negative attention is their goal, don’t give them the satisfaction. You can delete messages, time out, ban, and report users. Take whatever action you feel is appropriate and don’t feel bad for it. Ultimately, your channel is your space. You’re the final authority on what’s okay, so make sure you exercise it! If there are recurring issues happening, talk to your mods, so they can nip it in the bud when they see it.
Stay positive by doing what you want on stream
Sometimes you make neat plans that go completely awry. The game you felt really comfortable with is suddenly not going so well. A game you thought you’d enjoy is turning into a drag and the activity you planned is not as exciting as you thought it’d be. If this happens, do not be afraid to alter the course of the stream! If you aren’t enjoying yourself, your viewers will notice. We’re hanging out on Twitch to have fun and while some frustration can be funny, you don’t want your stream to turn into a negative complaint-fest. Don’t force yourself to trudge through something you hate. Is the game you’re playing suddenly inscrutable? Don’t be ashamed to pull up a walkthrough. Is it just not fun at all? Switch to another game or activity! It’s okay to change your plans midstream if it means you’ll have more fun. When you’re having fun, your viewers are too!
All in all, you have control over many aspects that make it tough to stay positive while streaming. Be flexible, keep the chat fun, and relax. If you’re having trouble relaxing while streaming, check out our article on How to Overcome Streaming Anxiety.
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