7 Steps To Be A Fearless Public Speaker

Do you get nervous when it is your turn to stand up in front of your peers or coworkers? You are not alone. Below are 7 tips to decrease or stop your fears.

1. Do Some Deep Breathing Exercises When You Feel Nervous Or Before You Are About To Speak

Breath in as deeply as you can, hold, and let out the air as slowly as you can; repeat 5 times or until you are calm.

2. Sit Upright In A Chair Or Wherever Is Comfortable

Close your eyes and imagine a peaceful place where you have no worries. Now imagine you just finishing your speech and all of your peers or coworkers clapping, impressed by your wise words. Now open your eyes. You can also search for other breathing exercises on the internet.

3. Practice Your Presentation

Then practice it again. Have you done that? Now repeat. Practice in front of your friends, family members, mirror, pet, and any other audience that you do not feel threatened by.

If you know you have practiced extensively, you will be more confident when it is time for you to present your speech.

4. Share Your Fears With Your Close Friends, If They Will Be In The Audience

Odds are, if they know you are worried, they will want you to succeed and you can look at them if you are nervous about making awkward eye contact.

5. Highlight Some Words

If your speech is written, highlight certain words where you can pause and look up into the audience confidently, and without losing your place.

6. Write In A Journal Or A Loose Piece Of Paper

When you are done with it, write in a journal or just on a loose piece of paper how good you felt and what you did right and what you could’ve improved upon.

Post this in a notebook, on a fridge, in a calendar, on a personal bulletin board, or in a workspace. You can read this whenever you are discouraged or have to speak again. It will help you remember that you did it before and you can do it again.

7. Don’t Dwell On Your Presentation If It Doesn’t Go As Planned

Leave the past in the past. You should take your mistakes and apply them to the next time you speak publicly.