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Curb Your Fear of Public Speaking by Being Prepared

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Does fear of public speaking make you feel unsure of yourself? Would you rather do just about anything than be forced to give a speech? Do you find yourself avoiding certain situations because you know you might be required to be the center of attention?

In many career paths, and in many life events, public speaking is a requirement. Although it can be uncomfortable to begin with, you can overcome your fear of public speaking and get on the road to a success in your life or business endeavors.

The most important thing when trying to get over your fear of public speaking, is to plan ahead. Here are three different strategies that  will make your whole presentation process a calmer and easier one.

Prepare Before Your Speak

To begin with, you need to focus first on what will happen before your speech. Yes, before! Many people think that waiting till the last possible minute could make them feel calmer, but this is far from the truth.

Here are a few tips for what you can do before your speech to relax you. These ideas will make you feel even more confident about the speech you are about to give.

First, arrive early. This way you can have time to see the layout of the room you are going to present in, and to feel comfortable with it.

Second, check all the technological equipment. Odds are high you will be using some form of technology in your presentation, and the more familiar you are with it, the better. Check to make sure lights work well, your PowerPoint opens  successfully, that the microphone is plugged in, etc. Checking all of these in advance will lead to decreased anxiety about the “what if’s” that could take place during your presentation. Go ahead and double check them a second time to feel really secure.

Make sure that all of your materials are set up, and that you have a contact person easily reachable in case there are any issues with equipment. Now that all is set up, you are ready to practice. Practice, as the old adage goes, makes perfect, and the more time you allow yourself to rehearse, the easier the speech will be.

Lastly, make sure to allow yourself adequate time to relax in the space and practice your speech, and you will be taking a significant step towards  decreasing your fear of public speaking.

Mindfulness Meditation: Consciously Relax and De-Stress

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Are you ready to tackle stressors in your life? Are you looking for a way to deal with day to day hurdles that get in your way? There are many simple techniques to keep the stress from piling up, but the key to all of them is mindfulness.

Mindfulness is being aware in the moment. Too often our lives fly by on hyperspeed and we can barely remember how we feel, what we did that day or when the last time was that we took some time for ourselves. It is very important to stay in the moment at all times.

Mindfulness can help in numerous aspects of our lives, especially while dealing with stress. Mindfulness, when paired with relaxation, visualization and meditation, can be the keys to leading a life that is much calmer and more connected.

Begin by taking some time every day to focus on yourself. If you need to get up a little earlier, or use part of your lunch break- do it! It is easy to spend too much time focusing on others, be it family, friends or co workers, and we usually forget that we should be number one. It is time now to focus on yourself!

Take some time to do some deep breathing and focus on the day ahead of you. Think about events that may be causing you stress in the future. By focusing on events, mindfully, piece by piece, the stressor won’t seem so large, but instead will become manageable. If there is a specific situation that causes you anxiety, playing out how the situation will go in a positive way creates a higher likelihood that you will feel less stressed in a given situation!

Also use some of your personal time to do some deep breathing. Find a comfortable place to sit or lay down. After you have thought about things that may be coming up in your day, try to clear your mind of anything that may be causing you undue negativity. Studies have found that people who relax and meditate on a regular basis not only have lower levels of stress, but are healthier over all!

You too can tackle any problem or situation head on by planning it out in your head. When you enter a stressful situation, think back to the planning you did before hand. You will find that many of those situations become easier to deal with. By taking a few simple steps to relax and take some time to simply focus on you, you will soon find that you are on your way to having decreased stress on a regular basis.