As someone who spends their weekends competing in mock trial tournaments, I am confident talking in front of a room filled with people. However, I was not always this comfortable public speaking and there are still moments when my nerves get the best of me. In those moments of nervousness, these four tips get me through.
- Practice in front of a mirror.
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Whenever I need to practice, I always make sure I can see myself speaking. When you can see what you look like, it makes it easier to perfect your body language and to speak without using notes. I recommend starting in front of a mirror and then recording yourself later to make final adjustments.
- Wear comfortable clothes.
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The key to public speaking is confidence. Although this is not easy, the smallest of things can make a big difference. It is important to wear clothes that fit you well, are comfortable, and make you feel good about yourself. Clothing can give you the extra boost you need to get through your presentation.
- Take deep breaths right before speaking.
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If I skip over deep breaths before starting my speech, I easily feel flustered. Starting with deep breaths is grounding and calms your mind and body down. When you walk up to where you will be speaking, take deep breaths in and out of your nose with your final breath when you are standing still. Take it slow and start speaking on your own time.
- Give yourself affirmations.
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It is extremely important to remind yourself that you are going to do your best before you speak. Not only should you hype yourself up before your speech, you should also remind yourself that no one will know if you mess up unless you draw attention to a mistake. The best public speakers don’t apologize for stumbling on their words. Keep going and know that you are working at a new skill that you should be proud of.
Public speaking is something that so many of us are scared of. It can be intimidating at times and mistakes are inevitable but with time and practice you will see improvement. Use these four tips the next time you find yourself needing to talk in front of an audience. You got this!