A lot of people cringe at the idea of addressing a large audience. You need to know that you’re not alone! Feeling anxious is very common before speaking to a crowd of people. Here are a few helpful tips to get you motivated before speaking publicly:
1. Practice, Practice, Practice.
Confidence is just one component of feeling good before a speech. In order to reach a firm level of confidence, it is crucial to practice your speech. Frustration can be quick to take over as you practice, but don’t let this deter you. Staying the course is important; you’ll only continue to improve overtime.
2. Turn Your Anxiousness Into Excitement.
Anxiousness and excitement are very similar feelings that are usually felt before speaking to an audience. Excitement is obviously the better feeling of the two. If you can, try and channel your anxiety and get excited for what lies ahead. Get up off your seat and do a jumping jack or two. It is better to feel loose than stiff. Pump yourself up! Anxiety is all mental. Tell yourself you’re excited and just might exude that feeling.
3. Be Yourself.
It may sound cliche, but it’s true. An audience can tell if you’re being unlike your normal self. You are who you are, so put your best self forward and enjoy the moment.
Public speaking doesn’t come easy to a lot of people, so try not to fret. What you can do is work at it. You’ll never become great at something if you don’t try. You’ll make mistakes, we all do. The best thing you can do is learn from those mistakes and get better!
For more information, check out the public speaking video below: