Reduce Public Speaking Anxiety

Reducing public speaking anxiety can be accomplished in several different ways.

Everyone has some anxiety when speaking in front of an audience. You need to acknowledge that it is perfectly normal to have some fear and that you are not alone. Even experienced speakers may feel anxious before delivering their speech.

Most public speaking anxiety comes before you have to actually stand in front of your audience and begin your speech. So the tips below will help you prepare yourself before having to get up there and deliver your speech. Use them to help you on your way to fearless public speaking.

Scroll to the end of the page to read tips by visitors to Best Speech Topics.

If you have any great tips for reducing anxiety, please use the form at the end of this page to send them on in!

5 Tips For Reducing Public Speaking Anxiety

Tip #1: Practice your speech in front of a mirror until you become comfortable looking directly at yourself and speaking out loud.

When you get in front of your audience you can pick out one person or more to speak directly to. Since you've practiced your speech in front of a mirror until you feel comfortable, those feelings will carry over to you speaking to someone in the audience...you can imagine you are speaking out loud to yourself.

Tip #2: Visualize yourself in front of your audience giving a successful speech. Just sit and close your eyes and imagine yourself on stage, in front of a podium or wherever you will be giving your presentation. See yourself feeling confident and comfortable sharing your knowledge with the audience.

Visualize people coming up to you after your speech to thank and congratulate you. Think about past successes in your life, not just in the public speaking arena, but any kind of success you've had. Use the feelings that come up when you replay these scenes in your mind to help you connect to what you are wanting to feel when giving your presentation.

Tip #3: Take a few moments to breathe slowly and deeply before you start your speech. Public speaking anxiety often causes symptoms such as difficulty breathing, heart palpitations and more. So taking the time to breathe in a conscious way will help relieve these symptoms.

Tip #4: Use positive affirmations and encouraging self-talk to help you build your self-esteem. Feeling confident in your ability to give a great presentation comes with believing that you can.

Tip #5: Act as if you are confident. Imagine someone that you feel is a great public speaker. How do they stand? Do they move on stage? Do they smile? What do they wear? Emulate them. Pretend that you are this person you admire until you feel their essence within you. Have fun with this! Recreate a speech you've seen then give and present it to an imaginary audience.

Reducing public speaking anxiety encompasses many things. You CAN get control of your anxiety and become a wonderful public speaker. It's a matter of having the desire and willingness to break through the barriers of what is holding you back.

There is a program that has helped me enormously in my search for freedom from anxiety when speaking in public. It helps you to incorporate positive self-talk in your life which is so important to feeling confident and self-assured in your presentations. I love it because all I do is put the CD on and press play. Find out more about fearless public speaking and how to lessen your anxiety.

Discover some more great public speaking anxiety tips sent in by visitors and submit one of your own and help your fellow public speakers out!