Apprehensive of Public Speaking

When it comes to public speaking, I find myself getting the typical anxiety that comes with it. There’s always that shaking in the knees, the sweat on your palms, and that rush of adrenaline right before you go out on center stage. There’s really no avoiding it. I've come to learn this after years of forcing myself to do karaoke. Nevertheless, with practice things do get better. There’s a sense of confidence you can build up. Once you realize what your weaknesses are, you can focus on how to calm those nerves. For me, I tend to forget to breathe, so I focus on that instead of the crowd. The most important thing I try to remember is how awesome I am. Yeah, I know it sounds narcissistic, but the truth is if you have a positive attitude towards yourself, you’re likely to do a better job. What I found most useful from Chapter 2 in Public Speaking the Evolving Art was the Relaxation Techniques, specifically the tension-release breathing (30). I’ve always been a tense guy because I overachieve. When it comes to being onstage, body language is extremely important to me. I want the audience to have fun with me, and if they know I am feeling loose, they’ll feel more comfortable as well.