According to the Mayo Clinic, fear of public speaking is very common. Public speaking can induce feelings of dread and anxiety. Just the idea of speaking in front of an audience may make you feel frightened or nervous. Your symptoms may range from a tiny bit of fear to physical symptoms like shaking, sweating or stuttering. You may even feel completely paralyzed. If public speaking is something you find next to impossible, you might want to consider joining a group like Toastmasters International, a nonprofit educational organization that teaches public speaking. You can find a meeting in your area on their website.
Rehearse
Being well-prepared for your speech significantly decreases the likelihood that you will forget what you're going to say. You'll feel more relaxed if you don't have to worry about forgetting your lines. It's OK to use a small card that has an outline of your speech, if you're frightened you'll get lost or mix up the order of your speech. Toastmasters International recommends frequent rehearsal, practicing out loud and using a timer to help control the rate of your speech. Practice in front of a mirror by yourself and also practice in front of family or friends. Record yourself using a video camera if possible, so you can see your gestures and check the use of filler words such like "umm" or "you know." Try to limit these filler words as much as possible.
Relax
It may sound simple, but knowing a few basic relaxation techniques can go a long way toward helping you feel calmer and more in control. Deep breathing is a technique that you can use prior to giving your speech or if you start to feel nervous or panicked during your speech. Try to relax your muscles, stretch your neck and loosen your shoulders. These areas of the body are frequently the first to tense up--which can increase your feelings of anxiety. Focus on taking deep, slow breaths. Count to three during the inhale, and pause for a count or two before exhaling. You can also use visualization techniques to relax and calm your feelings of anxiety. According to Toastmasters, visualizing yourself feeling relaxed and confident and imagining the audience clapping can help to boost your self-confidence.
Focus on Your Message
Both the Mayo Clinic and Toastmasters agree that focusing on your message is a vital component in being confident and relaxed. Focus on the message you are trying to convey instead of focusing on your audience. People are more likely to be listening to what you have to say than trying to point out flaws or focusing on your nervousness. Most likely, people will not even notice if you make a few mistakes.
