Public speaking has to be one of the most common fears aside from the fear of height and having a fear of the dark. There is much to be said about people’s fear of speaking in public and why some people avoid it. A lack of confidence does contribute significantly as to why some people fear public speaking. They feel vulnerable due to this level of exposure. Aside from fearing judgment, others just deal with an anxiety on a more subconscious level. Needless to say, public speaking is pretty inevitable if one is attending college or a business conference. Therefore, a person should overcome their fears of public speaking by trying some of these tips.
Start Small
Some people’s anxiety escalates with the amount of people they are in front of. This can be common for those dealing with social anxiety as well as they tend to avoid large groups of people. However, this is completely psychological and can be fixed through consistent effort. A person should try speaking around small groups of people first, preferably people they are familiar with. This will make them feel much more comfortable and lessen the stress that may come when it’s time for them to speak to a larger crowd.
Record Yourself
As stated, this issue is psychological and can greatly affect one’s speech. Those struggling with public speaking due to anxiety likely experience stuttering, sweating, mumbling, or other disturbing outbursts. To overcome this, one can record their speech or presentation on a voice recorder and play the recording back. This is the best way to hear coherency and identify what parts of one’s speech need modifying.
Breath Control
There is so much for one to think about when they are up giving their public speech or presentation. These inquires can fuel the anxiety even more, creating more dissonance in the overall presentation. A person shouldn’t think too much about the process to avoid psyching themselves out. A person should bring their awareness back to their breathing, ensuring that they can refocus their attention back to the topic at hand.
Presentation Confidence
Some people are just blatantly afraid to use their voice. Perhaps they don’t feel qualified to speak on certain subjects and want to avoid looking ignorant. This can definitely play a role in one’s fear to speak among other people. To combat this issue, one should foster confidence in their ideals and in sharing their views. When a person is confident about what they have to share, they are more likely to use their voice and project that message.