Anxiety is a physiological and psychological state that illustrates behavioral, cognitive, somatic and emotional components. It is known as a displeasing emotion of concern and fear. Moreover, anxiety is considered as a general word used to describe numerous disorders causing fear, worry, apprehension, and nervousness. Anxiety actually affects how you behave and feel. It manifests actual physical symptoms. On the other hand, mild anxiety is generally unsettling and vague whereas severe anxiety is extremely paralyzing and debilitating causing significant impact on your life. There are different kinds of anxiety and one of this is the public speaking anxiety.
It's critically important to feel comfortable with the people around you, particularly when you are learning. Make sure you have a teacher who is supportive and helpful. If not, find a new one.Role playing is one of the most helpful things you can do to reduce your speaking anxiety. As I mentioned in item one, speaking a foreign language is like having to present constantly. When I have to give a presentation at work, I prepare extensively to help me feel more comfortable, including scripting and rehearsing it as many times as I can. The same steps can be applied to language. What are some common conversations that you have that you can script and rehearse?Practice is the key to all language acquisition, but you don't always have someone to practice with. Also, if you are suffering from anxiety, you may not have the nerve and motivation to practice with another person. A way to practice on your own is to narrate your activities. When you are getting dressed in the morning, try saying the steps out loud, like "I'm going to take a shower" and "I'm putting on my shirt".Sometimes identifying what triggers your anxiety can be a big step in controlling it. Try and keep a journal of when you feel anxious. Is it a certain person that makes you nervous? Is it a certain situation?What I am going to teach you here is the fact that there is a physical reason for our feeling frightened when put into a position to speak in public. That reason is our body's perception that speaking in front of others is a "threatening situation" that demands the over-creation of adrenalin. And it is the over-creation of adrenalin that gives us our symptoms of feeling frightened.
In medical terminologies, public speaking anxiety is referred to as "glossophobia." It is a very common reported type of social fears. It is actually normal that you will experience nervousness during your presentation or speech. However, in the case of a person with a Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), your feeling of anxiety during public speaking will take out and control your life. You will worry too much a few weeks to months before the date of your speech or presentation. On the day of the presentation, you will suffer from intense physical symptoms of anxiety such as pounding heart, blushing, inability to breathe, and quivering voice. These symptoms result from the flight or fight response of your body. There is a sudden release of adrenaline that prepares you for a sudden threat of danger. At this moment, you will experience loss of body control.
This line of thinking leads us to believe that nobody will like what we have to say. Well, I have news for you, not everyone will like what you say. Some people will and other people won't. There is nothing you can do about that, but to deliver your message.
The Chairwoman of the local Institute made a short welcoming speech and then introduced the author and the ladies clapped. He rose slowly to his feet and approached the microphone."Ladies," he began, "On my way here tonight, only God and I knew what I was going to say. Now, only God knows!" And he promptly left the stage!Anxiety about making speeches is far more common than you would think.There are many strategies that can be used to help deal with anxiety caused by having to deliver a speech. One of the major reasons for anxiety is being under prepared.If you are going to paint a door, let's say, then to do a really good job, you must prepare the surface well by rubbing it down with sandpaper. Then perhaps you need to seal the wood before applying undercoat and then one or maybe two coats of the gloss or matte paint.
That was exactly my problem. For many years my fear of speaking in public kept me from advancement in my company because even though I was very competent in my field (in fact, more competent than many of my peers), I was perceived as not being as competent as those that could speak more authoritatively than I. It got so bad I had difficulty participating effectively in large meetings where I was an expert in the discussion area. I had to do something or my career, and my life for that matter, was going to be mediocre, at best and, at worst, a dismal failure.My background was research and so I began to investigate the causes of my inordinate fear to speak in public.Simply put - what I found changed my life forever and it will change yours too.When it comes to public speaking, there are several categories of people:About 5% of the population do not fear speaking in public at all and actually look forward to it in many cases. Another 10% are apprehensive to speak in public, but do not have a real fear of it.However, the vast majority of us (about 80%) have a mild to serious fear of speaking in public; we don't do it unless we have to and we tend to minimize the opportunities to speak in public if at all possible;
About a week before the speech try to build up a positive image of yourself giving the speech really well. 'See' yourself standing confidently and relaxed in front of your audience. 'See' the audience listening intently to you and laughing naturally at your jokes. 'Listen' to the applause after the speech is finished. Do this several times a day for a week or so before the day of your speech.Now that you have done your preparation in the lead up to speech day, you can concentrate on helping yourself on the day.Relaxation techniques such as breathing deeply and slowly in and out as you are being introduced can be very good for putting your body at ease. Something else to try at the same time might be to tighten and slowly relax various muscle groups. Not necessarily in any order these might include; the thigh muscles, calf muscles, the muscles in your arms, shoulders and back. This should relieve any tension in your body so that you can concentrate on your delivery.
For instance, if we were in a situation where we stood embarrassed in front of our schoolmates without saying a word,--- that could be it. Even though we were not speaking in public, our brains perceived our fear just standing there in front of other people as we thought that we looked foolish and/or scared. In a nutshell - what happens to some of us during this type of incident is our brain links our intense negative feelings with merely standing in front of other people as they look at us. It almost sounds silly that deep fears that control us as adults often have such trivial moments of creation in childhood. Often they last only a minute, but it is a minute that can last a lifetime. I'm sure the people who initiated these terrible incidents in our lives so many years ago never think back to them or to us for that matter. They have no idea what they said or did during that incident had such a profound and lasting effect on us.Our fears may only be "in our head" but that's enough to make us react as we do to speaking in public and other anxiety-prone situations. I'm sure you already realize - it's pretty difficult to change what's "in our head" even if we can figure out why it's "in our head" to begin with and why we react as we do to perceived "threatening situations" such as speaking in public.
During a one-to-one conversation it's important to make eye-contact with the person you're having a conversation with. If you are too nervous or too shy to do this directly, a good technique to give the impression of 'eye-contact' is to look at the bridge of the nose of the person you are talking to. For them, it will look as though you're looking straight at their eyes. Try it with a friend. It works.Making 'eye-contact' with your audience is equally important. You can do this and still keep your composure by looking at the heads of individuals. Scan the audience as you speak, but instead of looking directly at their faces, look at the tops of their heads. This will give the impression of direct eye-contact with members of the audience without it being unpleasant for you.These techniques are useful for those people who have the normal feelings of anxiety that the majority of people have before delivering a speech. However, if your anxieties go deeper and are felt for much longer both before and after delivery of the speech, then there are extra helpful techniques that can be tried.
Remember that public speaking anxiety is a self fulfilling prophecy. If you think the speech will go wrong, you will seek for validation of errors. Additionally, if you use visual aid make sure that if it does not work, you are prepared. That is why it is recommended for you to know the material. I have seen many presentations where the presenter relies heavily on the visual aid. Remember, the message is what is important. Everything else supplements your message.
Straight forward physical explanations for how you feel will get rid of unwanted emotional reactions. Try to think of or remember any effects that anxiety has on your body and think of the reasons for them.When you have finished your speech, enjoy the applause. Remember that applause and use it to counteract any negative thoughts you may have later. If, during the days after the speech you start to worry about it not being right or something, bring back the memory of your audience clapping appreciatively.Activities that can help to dispel anxiety include the following:Breathe in slowly and deeply, hold your breath for the count of 5 and then breathe out slowly. Repeat for up to 40 breaths.Go for a brisk walk, or do some other physical activity.Always give your speech or talk some serious thought and prepare well before hand. Your speech making will only get better!
[Speaking Anxiety]
It's critically important to feel comfortable with the people around you, particularly when you are learning. Make sure you have a teacher who is supportive and helpful. If not, find a new one.Role playing is one of the most helpful things you can do to reduce your speaking anxiety. As I mentioned in item one, speaking a foreign language is like having to present constantly. When I have to give a presentation at work, I prepare extensively to help me feel more comfortable, including scripting and rehearsing it as many times as I can. The same steps can be applied to language. What are some common conversations that you have that you can script and rehearse?Practice is the key to all language acquisition, but you don't always have someone to practice with. Also, if you are suffering from anxiety, you may not have the nerve and motivation to practice with another person. A way to practice on your own is to narrate your activities. When you are getting dressed in the morning, try saying the steps out loud, like "I'm going to take a shower" and "I'm putting on my shirt".Sometimes identifying what triggers your anxiety can be a big step in controlling it. Try and keep a journal of when you feel anxious. Is it a certain person that makes you nervous? Is it a certain situation?What I am going to teach you here is the fact that there is a physical reason for our feeling frightened when put into a position to speak in public. That reason is our body's perception that speaking in front of others is a "threatening situation" that demands the over-creation of adrenalin. And it is the over-creation of adrenalin that gives us our symptoms of feeling frightened.
In medical terminologies, public speaking anxiety is referred to as "glossophobia." It is a very common reported type of social fears. It is actually normal that you will experience nervousness during your presentation or speech. However, in the case of a person with a Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), your feeling of anxiety during public speaking will take out and control your life. You will worry too much a few weeks to months before the date of your speech or presentation. On the day of the presentation, you will suffer from intense physical symptoms of anxiety such as pounding heart, blushing, inability to breathe, and quivering voice. These symptoms result from the flight or fight response of your body. There is a sudden release of adrenaline that prepares you for a sudden threat of danger. At this moment, you will experience loss of body control.
This line of thinking leads us to believe that nobody will like what we have to say. Well, I have news for you, not everyone will like what you say. Some people will and other people won't. There is nothing you can do about that, but to deliver your message.
The Chairwoman of the local Institute made a short welcoming speech and then introduced the author and the ladies clapped. He rose slowly to his feet and approached the microphone."Ladies," he began, "On my way here tonight, only God and I knew what I was going to say. Now, only God knows!" And he promptly left the stage!Anxiety about making speeches is far more common than you would think.There are many strategies that can be used to help deal with anxiety caused by having to deliver a speech. One of the major reasons for anxiety is being under prepared.If you are going to paint a door, let's say, then to do a really good job, you must prepare the surface well by rubbing it down with sandpaper. Then perhaps you need to seal the wood before applying undercoat and then one or maybe two coats of the gloss or matte paint.
That was exactly my problem. For many years my fear of speaking in public kept me from advancement in my company because even though I was very competent in my field (in fact, more competent than many of my peers), I was perceived as not being as competent as those that could speak more authoritatively than I. It got so bad I had difficulty participating effectively in large meetings where I was an expert in the discussion area. I had to do something or my career, and my life for that matter, was going to be mediocre, at best and, at worst, a dismal failure.My background was research and so I began to investigate the causes of my inordinate fear to speak in public.Simply put - what I found changed my life forever and it will change yours too.When it comes to public speaking, there are several categories of people:About 5% of the population do not fear speaking in public at all and actually look forward to it in many cases. Another 10% are apprehensive to speak in public, but do not have a real fear of it.However, the vast majority of us (about 80%) have a mild to serious fear of speaking in public; we don't do it unless we have to and we tend to minimize the opportunities to speak in public if at all possible;
About a week before the speech try to build up a positive image of yourself giving the speech really well. 'See' yourself standing confidently and relaxed in front of your audience. 'See' the audience listening intently to you and laughing naturally at your jokes. 'Listen' to the applause after the speech is finished. Do this several times a day for a week or so before the day of your speech.Now that you have done your preparation in the lead up to speech day, you can concentrate on helping yourself on the day.Relaxation techniques such as breathing deeply and slowly in and out as you are being introduced can be very good for putting your body at ease. Something else to try at the same time might be to tighten and slowly relax various muscle groups. Not necessarily in any order these might include; the thigh muscles, calf muscles, the muscles in your arms, shoulders and back. This should relieve any tension in your body so that you can concentrate on your delivery.
For instance, if we were in a situation where we stood embarrassed in front of our schoolmates without saying a word,--- that could be it. Even though we were not speaking in public, our brains perceived our fear just standing there in front of other people as we thought that we looked foolish and/or scared. In a nutshell - what happens to some of us during this type of incident is our brain links our intense negative feelings with merely standing in front of other people as they look at us. It almost sounds silly that deep fears that control us as adults often have such trivial moments of creation in childhood. Often they last only a minute, but it is a minute that can last a lifetime. I'm sure the people who initiated these terrible incidents in our lives so many years ago never think back to them or to us for that matter. They have no idea what they said or did during that incident had such a profound and lasting effect on us.Our fears may only be "in our head" but that's enough to make us react as we do to speaking in public and other anxiety-prone situations. I'm sure you already realize - it's pretty difficult to change what's "in our head" even if we can figure out why it's "in our head" to begin with and why we react as we do to perceived "threatening situations" such as speaking in public.
During a one-to-one conversation it's important to make eye-contact with the person you're having a conversation with. If you are too nervous or too shy to do this directly, a good technique to give the impression of 'eye-contact' is to look at the bridge of the nose of the person you are talking to. For them, it will look as though you're looking straight at their eyes. Try it with a friend. It works.Making 'eye-contact' with your audience is equally important. You can do this and still keep your composure by looking at the heads of individuals. Scan the audience as you speak, but instead of looking directly at their faces, look at the tops of their heads. This will give the impression of direct eye-contact with members of the audience without it being unpleasant for you.These techniques are useful for those people who have the normal feelings of anxiety that the majority of people have before delivering a speech. However, if your anxieties go deeper and are felt for much longer both before and after delivery of the speech, then there are extra helpful techniques that can be tried.
Remember that public speaking anxiety is a self fulfilling prophecy. If you think the speech will go wrong, you will seek for validation of errors. Additionally, if you use visual aid make sure that if it does not work, you are prepared. That is why it is recommended for you to know the material. I have seen many presentations where the presenter relies heavily on the visual aid. Remember, the message is what is important. Everything else supplements your message.
Straight forward physical explanations for how you feel will get rid of unwanted emotional reactions. Try to think of or remember any effects that anxiety has on your body and think of the reasons for them.When you have finished your speech, enjoy the applause. Remember that applause and use it to counteract any negative thoughts you may have later. If, during the days after the speech you start to worry about it not being right or something, bring back the memory of your audience clapping appreciatively.Activities that can help to dispel anxiety include the following:Breathe in slowly and deeply, hold your breath for the count of 5 and then breathe out slowly. Repeat for up to 40 breaths.Go for a brisk walk, or do some other physical activity.Always give your speech or talk some serious thought and prepare well before hand. Your speech making will only get better!
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