Speak in public and overcome stage fear, in 8 steps
Many people have serious difficulties speaking in public , because they feel stage fright when speaking in front of an audience.
This type of anxiety can produce great discomfort, which affects their self-confidence and the perception they have of their own abilities. But not everyone feels bad when speaking in public. There are individuals who enjoy the attention and feel very comfortable when communicating in front of a group of people. What do these people do to feel this good in a seemingly tense situation?
Tips for public speaking
If you are one of the people that speaking in public is complicated, The tips shown below can help you feel more confident and leave behind the fears of speaking in front of an audience. You should know that the fear you feel is a normal response of your nervous system, and that learning to speak in public is possible based on practice and a little courage.
1. Prepare well what you have to say
If you have to make a speech for your best friend's wedding or you have to make a presentation for your final year project, Prepare well what you say can help you gain confidence in yourself .
Therefore, investigate well what you are going to say so that you can master the subject. Prepare that speech so that you have an idea of what you are going to say, and it will be much easier for you to remember and express your ideas in a clear and fluid way.
2. Practice it, practice as many times as necessary
But preparing what you say in public may not make much sense if you do not practice . In addition to organizing information and structuring both on paper and mentally what you want to express, practice it will be very useful when it comes to gaining tranquility and confidence.
It is clear that practicing requires time, but every time you practice you will realize that you have improved. When you have to make that presentation or speech, everything will be more fluid and you will be more comfortable. If you want feedback, It is highly recommended that you practice in front of family or friends who can give you their opinion . You can also videotape yourself to see how you do it. The same surprises you in a positive way.
3. Focus on breathing
Focusing on breathing is one of the most used techniques to reduce anxiety. Therefore, if you have a command over your breathing, it is possible that you control the times better.
When you focus your attention on breathing your voice will sound better and you will be calmer. Breathe calmly and pay attention to the rhythm you impose when talking .
4. Attend classes to learn to speak in public
Public speaking training will help you become more aware of what you do right or wrong and what you can improve. Not only that, but you will discover what is the "art of public speaking" .
If you shape yourself properly, you will master body language, you will know how to use your voice more efficiently and you will learn different techniques that will allow you to feel better and more confident when facing the audience.
5. Admit that you are nervous
One of the best ways to overcome the fear of speaking in public is to admit it . It is normal to feel some tension when you have to speak in front of a group of people you do not know.
But iron out the matter and apply the above advice. Acceptance helps reduce anxiety and helps you not be so hard on yourself. Do not be such a perfectionist, give yourself time and do not demand so much .
Maybe you're interested: "Perfectionist personality: the disadvantages of perfectionism"6. Change your audience mentally
People feel anxiety about how we evaluate the events that happen to us . So if we take the presentation as something in which life goes, because we are evaluated by a group of experts and we play our final score, it is very likely that our anxiety increases.
Maybe you can convince yourself that your audience is just a group of students who are just as nervous as you are, or maybe you can imagine that they are friends that you have not seen for years . That way you will not put extra pressure when speaking in public.
7. Lean on visual aids
Imagine that you make a presentation with a PowerPoint very worked and pleasant to the eye or make it with notes delivered to each member of the audience.
This will make the audience not so watchful to look at you and, in addition, will allow you to lean on these visual aids to guide you and take your pressure off .
8. Take it as a fun experience
To feel more comfortable speaking in public, the first thing you should do is change the attitude and turn fear into something stimulating , and if it can be, even fun.
This is the most important advice, since if you are comfortable and you take this experience as something fun, it is likely that the audience will connect with you. The fun hooks . So if you can, get a little bit of your sense of humor out. You will see how it will be well received.
