how to handle nervousness in speaking?

meaning santosh kanekar

Are you comfortable or scared, speaking in front of people?

Quite often,
speaking in front of people
brings out the worst fears inside us

If someone even mentions,
“come here and start speaking”,
our pulse rate goes up,
maybe our palms turn sweaty and
we will want to hide behind the nearest rock

It’s said fear of speaking in front of people is second to fear of death

It may not be that severe but
it is definitely very prevalent

Behind this fear is the dislike
for being judged for one’s performance,
we love what we are and
we don’t like being evaluated or
criticized for who we are

Also, to speak in front of people,
somewhere we feel
we have to be cool and
fluent like a movie star

None of these fears are actually true

First of all, it’s not a “Performance”

Often we are called to share something”
that we know or we have experienced.

That’s all there is to it.
What you have experienced or
know is your personal truth.
Whether people agree with it or not,
it’s your truth.
What you know may be wrong but
it does not make you a wrong person

“It’s not a performance, I am sharing my experience”

This is the first thought
we need to tell ourselves:

Second, most people in the audience
are equally terrified as
you are about speaking and hence,
no one expects a movie star coolness.

So let go of the pressure to be one.

And if none of the above thoughts is helping,
here’s a Third tip:

change the meaning of the event

“My body is telling me I am excited to do this”
Or
“My body is telling me I am determined to do this”

Whenever your pulse rate increases, tell yourselves the above

The above is the only way you will move through your fears

All actions and conclusions that we make depend on the meaning we give to the event

Change the meaning of the event and
your physiology and your actions will change

share in comments

Today,

Identify the events where you are fearful or resisting
And ask yourself
“How can I change the meaning of that event?
What can I say to reframe this event?”

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