Speaking in public and overcoming stage fright, in 8 steps

Many people have serious difficulties speaking in public, because they feel stage fright when speaking in front of an audience.

East type of anxiety can cause great discomfort, which affects your self-confidence and their perception of their own abilities. But not everyone feels bad about speaking in public. There are individuals who enjoy attention and are very comfortable 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 those people who find it difficult to speak in public, the tips below can help you feel more confident and leave behind the fears of speaking in front of an audience. Know that the fear you feel is a normal response of your nervous system, and that learning to speak in public is possible with 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 degree project, preparing well what you will say can help you gain confidence in yourself.

Therefore, research what you are going to say well so that you can master the subject. Prepare that speech so that you have an idea of ​​what you are going to say, and that way it will be much easier for you to remember and express your ideas in a fluent and clear way.

2. Practice it, rehearse as many times as necessary

But preparing for what you will say in public may not make much sense if you don't practice it.. In addition to organizing the information and structuring both on paper and mentally what you want to express, practicing it will be very useful when it comes to gaining peace of mind and confidence.

It is clear that practicing takes time, but each 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 record yourself on video to see yourself how you do it. It still surprises you in a positive way.

3. Focus on the breath

Focus on breathing is one of the most used techniques to reduce anxiety. Therefore, if you have control over your breathing, it is possible that you control the times better.

When you focus your attention on the breath, your voice will sound better and you will be calmer. Breathe calmly and pay attention to the rhythm you impose when speaking.

4. Take classes to learn to speak in public

Public speaking training will help you become more aware of what you are doing right or wrong and what you can do better. Not only that, but you will discover what the "art of public speaking" is..

If you form properly, you will master the 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 you're nervous

One of the best ways to overcome your fear of public speaking 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 take the iron off the issue and apply the above tips. Acceptance helps reduce anxiety and helps you not be so hard on yourself. Do not be so perfectionist, give yourself time and do not demand so much of yourself.

You may be interested: "Perfectionist personality: the downsides of perfectionism"

6. Mentally change your audience

People feel anxiety about how we evaluate the events that happen to us. So if we take the presentation as something in which life is going, because we are evaluated by a group of experts and we play our final grade, it is very likely that our anxiety will increase.

Perhaps you can convince yourself that your audience is nothing more than a group of students who are just as nervous as you, or maybe you can imagine that they are friends that you haven't seen for years. This way you won't put extra pressure on yourself when speaking in public.

7. Lean on visual aids

Imagine giving a presentation with a very worked and pleasant PowerPoint or you do it with notes given to each member of the audience.

This will make the audience not so aware of looking at you and, in addition, will allow you to lean on these visual aids to guide you and take pressure off of you.

8. Take it as a fun experience

To feel more comfortable speaking in public, the first thing you should do is change your attitude and turn fear into something exhilarating, 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, the audience is likely to connect with you. The fun hooks. So if you can, bring out a little bit of your sense of humor. You will see how it will be well received.