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10 Helpful Public Speaking Tips
A Therapist's Guide To Getting Over A Fear Of Public Speaking
While it may feel terrifying, getting over a fear of public speaking is possible with good advice. The best public speaking tips are centered around encouraging yourself, remaining grounded, focusing on your audience, and pouring yourself into your message. Continue reading to learn 10 helpful public speaking tips from a therapist.
1.) Encourage Yourself
Photography By: Andrej Lišakov
Stop being your own worst critic and start becoming your own best cheerleader. Tell yourself positive affirmations, pump yourself up, and be proud of your bravery in facing your fears. Encouragement should be at the top of all public speaking tips lists.
2.) Forgive Yourself
Stop being so hard on yourself. Perfection is impossible but expecting it with something you lack experience in is insanity. Realize that you will make mistakes or stumble. Accept that this is part of the experience and continue. Give yourself permission to struggle and forgive yourself when you do,
Photography By: Andrej Lišakov
3.) Focus On Someone In The Audience
Photography By: Andrej Lišakov
Have you heard the tip to pretend your audience is naked before? This is to distract you from being self-conscious and turn your anxiety into humor. I like the idea of finding a comforting face in the audience or someone giving positive feedback through their body language. Use them to stay anchored and grounded.
4.) Feel The Audience
The best speakers do more than just recite their material. They are aware of their audience and adjust the way they communicate to what the audience needs. In terms of public speaking tips, this also distracts you from focusing on yourself and creating anxiety. If your audience looks bored, liven up yourself. If they look disgruntled, become more humorous.
Photography By: Andrej Lišakov
5.) Fall In Love With your Material
Photography By: Andrej Lišakov
A fear of public speaking can make focusing on your speech difficult. Your speech serves a purpose though and deserves your attention. You can give it such by studying, seeing the importance, and falling in love with your material. Loving your material over being self-conscious of yourself is one of the most virtuous public speaking tips.
6.) Practice Makes Perfect
A part of the reason why you feel uncomfortable is because this is not something you regularly do. Confidence comes from familiarity. While it still will be new, you can increase your confidence by practicing speaking in public and speaking in public more often.
Photography By: Andrej Lišakov
7.) Use Grounding Techniques
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Grounding techniques pull us away from worrying about the past, future, and other outside events. Grounding techies keep us in the present. Using your five senses are a way to stay grounded. While speaking, examine your audience or listen for sounds around you. Feel the texture of your podium or hands.
8.) Find A Role Model
Find someone you like as a public speaker and imitate what qualities are attractive to you. This will give you more public speaking tips and practice as you rehearse what you see.
Photography By: Andrej Lišakov
9.) Utilize Style
Photography By: Andrej Lišakov
Rather than focusing on whether you are nervous or who’s looking at you, focus on the style you want to present. Concentrating on being laid back, funny, or cool will communicate to your audience that you are a good presenter and distract you from worrying about things that make you anxious.
10.) Value Your Message Over Your Ego
Your ego is telling you that you need to worry about how you will look if you make a mistake or are uncomfortable. Valuing your message over your ego will remove that pressure and encourage you to make just sharing the message what’s important.
Photography By: Andrej Lišakov
Important Tips To Remember
- Encourage Yourself
- Fall In Love With Your Material
- Find A Role Model
- Value Your Message Over Your Ego
We’d love to hear from you. Comment your thoughts or feelings below on Public Speaking Tips. Be a part of our community. If you’re too uncomfortable for that at the moment but would still like to talk, reach out to us at Info@GrowAgainCounseling.com
By: Jordan Joachim
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