How to overcome public speaking?
Public speaking can be quite daunting. Speaking in front of even the smallest crowd can make our anxiety rise. We start getting a little nervous knowing all eyes are going to be on us. We might feel a little off balance, maybe start sweating, feel the jitters coming on - all of which are normal. However, if these nervous feelings don’t get better once you’ve started your speech (or if they get even worse) then keep reading because I have some tips for overcoming your fear of public speaking, or for at least dealing with that fear so it wont stress you out as much.
Practice Practice Practice
By practicing your speech over and over it will take away the likelihood of you messing it up upon delivery. Practice also helps us to feel more in control of the situation and more confident in front of the crowd as well. Practice in front of a mirror, in front of family or in front of friends, I promise it will help!
Know what it is you’re talking about
The more you know about the content of your speech or presentation, the better! You will deliver a more engaging speech if you actually know what youre talking about. But more than that, you will feel more confident delivering the speech and thus feel more at ease leading up to it.
Wear something you feel confident in
While this one may seem silly, we are often nervous in front of crowds because we are worried about what they are thinking of us. Whether that be our appearance, demeanor or contents of our speech. So to combat self-consciousness and give us a little confidence kick, wear your favourite outfit and it will help to break down that self-consciousness a little allowing your brain to focus more power on what matters.
Do some self-centering breathing
Breath work is super important when it comes to calming ourselves down and reducing anxiety. Taking some deep breaths with your hand over your heart before your speech is a great way to center yourself, calm your mind and organise your thoughts. Take a few deep breaths now and see how good it feels! Don’t be afraid to pause for a moment during your speech to take a deep breath, quiet moments or silences during your speech are not a bad thing and if taking a second to breathe will help you make it to the end then go for it.
Be organised
If your presentation or speech requires visual aids or questions from the audience, plan ahead of time when you will bring these out. Have your visual aids ready to go and have a back up plan in case there is technological failure (i.e your powerpoint file corrupts). As for questions from the audience; think of some common questions that may be asked and prepare for these. This is also where knowing your topic comes in handy!
Don’t criticize yourself after
Once your speech is done, be proud! Even if there were things you could've done better, or there was an awkward silence or whatever else may have gone wrong in your eyes - you did it! Positively reinforcing yourself will get you a whole lot further than criticism. Remember this, the way you delivered your speech doesn’t define who you are or your intelligence, it is just a speech!
To summarise, the best way to combat feelings of anxiety and dread leading up a speech is to be prepared, arm yourself with some confidence and don’t be too hard on yourself if it goes pear shaped. If you really feel like your fear of public speaking is holding you back as you can’t even make it through without having to stop, then talk to a mental health professional. They will be able to help you achieve your goals and give more personalised coping strategies. I hope these tips can help you and if you’d like more info on becoming confident check out one of our previous blogs on how to feel more confident.