Speaking in public is something that many people are terrified of, but there are ways that you can become more confident with this. Like any other skill, the more practice and the more skills that you learn, the better you will become. In some cases, public speaking and speaking to large numbers of people is a part of a job requirement and so needs to be mastered. Here are some ways that you can calm your nerves when speaking in public.
Training – if you are going to speak regularly, you may want to attend Public speaking courses like the ones that are available from the College of Public Speaking. These courses help to give you the confidence to stand in front of others and share information. The more training you do and the more practice speeches you give, the better the speeches will go.
Breathing – when we get nervous, we tend to start to breathe more shallowly, and this can dramatically increase our anxiety levels. When we take our time to take a few gentle, deep breaths, this means that we increase our oxygen levels, which then, in turn, help to reduce the levels of stress and anxiety in our systems.
Preparation – there is no better way to feel at ease when speaking in public than to ensure that you are prepared. By having an idea of what you are going to be speaking about and having your information ready and at hand, you can start to feel more comfortable that your speech is going to go well.
Summary
This article gives tips for calming nerves before public speaking. It recommends attending training courses to build confidence through practice, and taking slow, deep breaths when nervous to increase oxygen levels and reduce anxiety. It also stresses thorough preparation of your material and having your information ready to hand, arguing that all three approaches help a speech go more smoothly.
Questions this article raises
- How many practice speeches does it typically take to feel confident speaking in public?
- Are breathing techniques equally effective for all types of anxiety, not just public speaking?
- What should you do if nerves strike unexpectedly during a live speech?
