How to help your speaking anxiety

Hi ,

Speaking to a group is one of the hardest things to do!

Public speaking can cause serious anxiety that can feel overwhelming and cause you to worry, physically shake, and even have a panic attack.

Here are 3 ways to help your ease your speaking anxiety:

1. Understand Anticipatory Anxiety: Anticipatory anxiety is when we worry about a future event that has not happened yet. We can start to build up stress and even dread by anticipating the worst outcome possible, "I'm going to mess up my presentation, feel embarrassed, humiliate myself." A helpful way to calm yourself is to write out your worst and best speech outcomes. Writing your worries and goals on paper is a healthy way to understand and contain your thoughts and fears. If you feel your anticipatory anxiety is debilitating, you may want to seek Therapy or anxiety medication to help you. You should not have to suffer to speak.
2. Stretch it out: Doing a gentle physical warm-up that includes stretching, and breathing exercises can help you feel more grounded and release stress before you present. If we are very stressed, we may react with physical sensations that include having sweaty palms, fidgeting, tightness in the chest, feeling dizzy, and having a shaky voice. When we stretch and breathe intentionally, we can help ourselves relax and calm down. You can learn the public speakers warm-up routine in Step 2 of your Impact Public Speaking Course to help calm yourself before you present HERE
3. Messing up is OK: Don’t worry about getting your presentation perfect, instead be perfectly you. Be natural and your listeners will appreciate your authenticity. If you stumble a little, smile and carry on and you will appear human and approachable. The more open and honest you are, the more receptive your listeners will be to you. Enjoy yourself as much as possible and believe that you are enough as you are right now.

Stay Calm & Speak On,

Voice Coach Jessica Neighbor

Impact Public Speaking Course