You're not alone! It's very common to feel nervous before you get up in front of an audience, participate in a meeting, meet a new client, and even walk into a social event. The good news is that there are simple and effective strategies to help calm those nerves, center yourself, and put your focus where it should be. Here are some to try:
Know your material.
No matter the situation- an upcoming presentation, asking a question at a meeting, bringing up topics to talk about with a new client, or in a social situation - you must practice. Nothing beats the feeling of being well prepared.
Get to the venue early, get comfortable with the space
Practice asking your question or bringing up a topic of conversation by speaking out loud, not just thinking it through
Rehearse out loud what you will say when you don't have an answer to a question
Get ready physicallly
You want to make sure you feel both energized and at ease. You don't want a tense energy, you want a focused ease about your energy. Make sure you get the tension out of your body. You can do this using:
Breathing exercises and meditation techniques
A shotgun release- where you tense your whole body, then release on the sound of 'ahh'. Repeat till your body feels physically tired, too tired to hold tention. Usually takes me 3x.
Visualization techniques to put you in a more tension-free state. Visualize how it will all go amazingly well. Good visualization techniques will have a calming effect on your nerves
Get ready mentally
Often, nerves arise from fear of judgment. Instead of thinking about yourself, shift your focus to your audience. What is your intention for them? How do you want them to feel? Self-talk, or what I call your 'inner monologue' plays a huge part to help quell those nerves. Make sure your self-talk is focused on your audience and not yourself. Here are some techniques to try:
Shift your focus from yourself to your audience: for example, go from saying 'I'm so nervous' to 'I'm so excited to _____ (intention- 'Teach', 'Welcome', 'Excite') them'.
Use a mantra 'I've got this', 'This is going to be awesome', 'This room is full of love',
Engage your audience - say 'hello everyone' and wait for them to reply, ask a question and really expect an answer.
Public speaking is a skill that gets easier with practice. By using these strategies to calm your nerves, you can turn anxious energy into confident, assured, and connected communication. Remember, everyone gets nervous sometimes, even the most seasoned speakers. The key is to find strategies that work for you. They will become your pre-game ritual to put you in the right frame of mind to be an amazing communicator. You got this!
** Feel free to send me a note on your rituals. Let me know if you try the ones above.
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