Do you struggle to stand up and speak in front of people? Does it stress you out and you wish it could be different?
Most of us struggle with public speaking and it’s a common trait amongst humans. In prehistoric times, when people were watching you, it was a genuine threat. Over time, this has transferred to public speaking and our ancient fight or flight mode kicks in.
But, it is possible to re-train the brain to not react in this stressful way.
In this article, we’ll share tips on how to get over the fear of public speaking. These tips will help you to be less anxious and to even enjoy speaking in front of crowds.
Read on for more information.
1. Redirect Your Brain to Focus on the Audience
As you get closer to the speech, your anxiety levels increase and you just want to get out of there. Your brain starts telling you that you’ll fail, it’ll be a disaster and you should not go through with it.
This is the height of the fight or flight mode when you’re brain detects danger is moments away. But, it is possible to reduce your stress levels and prevent these feelings and thoughts.
Before you’re about to speak, tell yourself that the speech isn’t about you, it’s about helping the audience. Also, question the doubts in your mind. Ask yourself what’s the worse that will happen. What’s the proof that it will go wrong?
By doing this you’ll start to think rationally and teach your brain not to have a fear of public speaking. It may take several tries, but eventually, your pre-speech anxiety should subside.
2. Focus on Eye Contact
It’s common to try and speak to everyone at once and feel overwhelmed.
Instead of doing this, look around and make strong eye contact with people. Focus on them for a few sentences and then move on to someone else.
By doing this, it helps you think that you’re actually having one on one conversations. Most of us are fine at speaking to people individually and don’t experience anxiety.
Don’t worry if it’s awkward at first. Keep practicing and eventually, it will become natural to you.
3. Try to Break the Ice With Some Jokes
An easy way to make yourself and an audience feel comfortable is by telling jokes. When you hear an audience laugh, it can reduce feelings of anxiety and make you feel in control.
In fact, comedians often say that hearing an audience laugh is the best feeling in the world. So remember, they’re human and people like individuals that can make them laugh.
If you’re struggling for things to say, lookup great public speakers and watch what they do.
We also recommend speaker coaching to help you become more confident. Check out moxieinstitute.com for more details.
How to Get Over the Fear of Public Speaking?
We hope you have enjoyed reading our article on how to get over the fear of public speaking.
As you can see, there are a few simple things you can do to help yourself remain calm before and during your speeches. We suggest you try these tips and hopefully you’ll see an improvement quickly.
Finally, check out the rest of our blog for great lifestyle tips.
