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There are quite a lot of us who fear public speaking. Most of us complain of nervousness, sweating palms, butterflies in the stomach and hand and feet becoming cold when we think of public speaking or stage performance. Not just students and executives, there are many top level managers and leaders who fear addressing the crowd. However, one can overcome this fear of public speaking with constant practice and building confidence over time.
After a thorough research on the time, begin practicing public speaking in front of the mirror for two weeks. Once you feel that you are able to overcome the fear in front of your own self, begin practicing public speaking in front of friends and family members. These are the people who you wouldn’t mind making mistakes in front of. These are the people that will encourage you rather than discouraging you. These people will help you to build confidence. Along with this, you also need to know your subject in and out. Having a regular round of these sessions is one of the ways in overcoming public fear.
Knowing the content is a big asset when it comes to public speaking. This not only boosts confidence but also reduces speech fear to a great extent. It also helps to rehearse quite a few times before the final delivery. Understanding of the subject matter is also important. Do not try to memorize every line. Understand the topic and have a few key points that you can elaborate upon. Some people complain that when they look into the eyes of audience, they forget what they have to say. If this is the problem one faces, one should practice effective eye contact in practice sessions itself. When you look into the eyes of your friends or family members, you feel comfortable and can remember what you want to say. During the actual speech, looking into your friends’ eyes which will also help you to make the ‘connect’ with the audience.
Some also suggest taking deep breathes before the speech which will help in reducing the stress. Rub your hands and smile. Wear comfortable clothes and confidently face the crowd to win their hearts with your speech!
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