Ways of Overcoming Anxiety While Public Speaking
Have you ever dealt with a situation in which you had to speak in front of a large crowd or group?
If you have, then you know exactly how difficult or nerve-wracking it can be.
This situation is far more unsettling and anxiety-inducing for some than others, however.
That is why we have outlined the following five ways for you to cope with anxiety while public speaking:
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Practice in Front of Others
If you find it especially difficult or troublesome to deal with anxiety while public speaking, then you'll understand the importance of prior preparation for your presentation.
There are a variety of ways of practicing your speech beforehand, but some of the most common ways are practicing in front of family or friends, partaking in a Toastmasters club, or using virtual reality apps.
You can even practice in front of a mirror or video conferencing simulator.
If you find time to practice beforehand, then you could become more accustomed to the process of public speaking and potentially overcome your anxiety while public speaking.
If you find yourself practicing more, then you'll experience much less of a likelihood of forgetting what you need to say or losing track of what you are trying to say.
It may be helpful for you to view your time of public speaking as an actor who is delivering his or her performance to an audience.
You'll then be able to more easily distract yourself from your sense of fear or anxiety while public speaking.
Additionally, it would be most helpful to view your time "performing" at a public speaking event as more of an opportunity for communication.
This way, you'll be able to view yourself in an unbiased, objective way, rather than in a way that entails judgment or testing.
Become Familiar With Your Topic
Since there are many challenges that may arise while public speaking, it is important for you to remain knowledgeable regarding your topic of choice.
If you truly understand what you plan to discuss with your audience, then you'll find it much easier to deliver your speech without too much worry or fear.
That way, if you somehow happen to get off track or make an error during your presentation, you'll be able to make amends all the more quickly.
You can also take some time and consideration for potential questions from the audience toward the end of your presentation.
Work On Your Breathing
At times, when you're experiencing a good deal of tension, nervousness, or anxiety while public speaking, you might have the tendency to ramble or go off-topic easily.
If you do some breath work or concentrate on breathing deeply in and out, then you'll be much more likely to focus on the topic at hand or maintain an appropriate speaking speed.
If you concentrate on breathing, then your voice will seem much less shaky and more relaxed.
Maintaining a strong sense of rhythm can not only help you to focus on the topic at hand but can also decrease stress and enhance your overall quality of life.
Along with breathwork, you can try to implement some exercise routines before the actual presentation or public event.
Although it may not seem helpful or pleasant at the moment, it actually can be quite beneficial to exercise
.Exercise releases endorphins, and so it will ultimately make you more successful since it ignites a sense of creativity and helps with releasing any kind of pent-up energy.
So if you exercise before public speaking, then you'll likely be able to feel much calmer than you would have otherwise.
Set Goals For Yourself
Rather than just getting by, you should thoughtfully consider the importance of goal setting, especially if you experience anxiety while public speaking.
Speaking publicly takes much time, effort, practice, and energy, so if you keep that in mind, then you will become much better at it.
As long as you acknowledge your own personal strengths and weaknesses, especially when it comes to public speaking, then you will likely feel far more comfortable with it than you did before.
Public speaking anxiety can be quite debilitating, so if you set realistic goals for yourself, then you'll be able to overcome your anxiety while public speaking in the amount of time that you have allotted for yourself.
One method regarding goal setting that tends to work for most people is challenging their beliefs regarding the way that they perform as public speakers.
Some examples of beliefs that you might want to challenge are "People find me boring" or "Everyone can see how nervous I am while public speaking."
A technique known as cognitive reframing can be especially helpful if you are experiencing high levels of anxiety while public speaking.
This technique allows you to think more logically about the situation, based on facts more than feelings.
Look for More Chances to Speak in Public
It is a well-known fact that the more experience you get with activities such as public speaking, the less anxiety will be brought about as a result of that.
So if you search for chances to speak in public or to practice your public speaking skills, you'll experience more of a likelihood of having much less anxiety while public speaking.
There are a variety of ways in which you can practice and eventually look for more chances to speak in public.
You can work on your physical responses to fear and anxiety, your overall view of public speaking, or your general disposition toward yourself as a public speaker.
The more that you discover chances to speak in public, the further you'll understand what worked well as opposed to what didn't.
You'll also be able to attain a greater understanding of what exactly separates a successful public speaker from one who is not quite as successful.
Conclusion
Although the notion of public speaking may be terrifying to some, it is completely normal to experience some degree of anxiety while public speaking.
There are many remedies to cope with anxiety while public speaking, such as looking for more opportunities to publicly speak, setting realistic goals for yourself, working on the more physical aspects of yourself (such as deep breathing), becoming more acquainted with your topic, and practicing in front of a mirror or others.
Regardless of the technique that you choose in order to cope with anxiety while public speaking, you'll most likely be able to manage it with enough practice and dedication in due time.
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