5 Tips to Stress-Free Public Speaking

Getting up in front of a group of people can certainly get your body excited, but that doesn’t mean that it has to be laden with so much stress that you worry you’re going to pass out.

Public speaking can be a very frightening experience. If you say or do something foolish in a small group, that’s one thing. But, screw up in front of a large group of people and it may be tough to live down. Besides, there’s a lot more pressure when all eyes are on you.

You can make matters worse by imagining yourself tripping as you walk onto stage and everyone laughs at you. Or, you picture yourself mid-speech forgetting what you’re about to say, causing the crowd to just stare at you wondering why you’re not talking.

No matter how confident you try to be in yourself and your abilities, both of these scenarios can wreak havoc on your mind and create stress in gargantuan proportions.

But, just because public speaking is gut-wrenching for a lot of people, that doesn’t mean that you have to be one of the many that suffers the pain.

When you find yourself about to be in front of a large group of people and you feel on the verge of a panic-type of attack (if not the real thing), just remember these five things:

1. Keep breathing

Public Speaking woman sitting at the table

Rule number one: if you aren’t breathing then there’s a problem, and it isn’t public speaking – it’s survival. Also, it’s not just the inhales and exhales necessary to get oxygen to your lungs that are important, but also taking them in a way that calms and soothes you. The way you breathe can actually take your heart from supersonic speeds to slow, natural and comfortable rhythms.

There’s a breathing technique that is taught to police and first responders that helps them calm their bodies when they know they’re going into a dangerous situation. They realize that they have to keep themselves rational and able to think because their life depends on it. Hopefully you’re not speaking in front of a group that threatens your safety in that way, but their techniques can help nonetheless.

When you feel yourself starting to feel panicked and scared, take some long, slow breaths. Count to eight as you breathe in, hold it for four and release it to another eight count. Do this ten to fifteen times and it will slow your heart down, clear your head and allow you to speak and address your audience in a calm, relaxed manner.

2. Others have done this before you and they survived

Fear is nothing but a feeling. It won’t kill you (although it probably feels like it will) and it gets only as big as you let it, which is nice because you can keep it small and unnoticeable with a little bit of practice.

It may feel like you’re completely alone when you’re ready to go on stage, but several people have been exactly where you are right at that moment and actually survived to tell about it. Believe it or not, some people thrive on it and even go back for more.

This one thought can help relax you when you consider that your chances of being able to walk off the stage still in one piece are very high. After all, have you ever read the headline: 10 Lose Their Lives in Tragic Public Speaking Incident? No? Then remember that the next time you’re about to speak because things are going to be okay.

3. You are the expert

Public Speaking woman in front of a people

Sometimes the fear of speaking comes from feeling like you aren’t educated enough to talk to the group. Maybe you worry that someone is going to ask you a question that you aren’t able to answer and you don’t’ want to look foolish.

Here’s the deal: You are speaking to them because you are an expert in your field. Now, that doesn’t mean that you know everything; it just means that you know more than the average person. So, don’t put a lot of pressure on yourself to be intimately familiar with every crack and crevice of what you’re talking about. That isn’t going to get you anywhere.

The most you can do is prepare yourself so you know as much as you can about your topic prior to stepping foot on stage. Take all of the material you wish to cover and learn it to the best of your ability. This alone will instantly increase your confidence and reduce some of your stress.

And, if someone asks you a question that you don’t know the answer to, just admit it. Don’t try to say something that sounds intelligent if you have no idea what you’re talking about because that is when you’ll look foolish. Be honest and you’ll earn the respect of your audience without having to know everything.

4. You know your speech, they don’t

It can trip a lot of people up if they have a well prepared speech and forget a part of it. You wind up standing there just looking at your audience as you fumble around in your mind trying to find that one little section that you seem to have misplaced momentarily. It’s awkward for you and it’s awkward for them.

However, only you know what you were going to say so if you leave a part out, just keep talking and your audience will be none the wiser. They have no idea that they just forgot a story you were going to share or a quote that inspired you. So don’t get frustrated if you miss talking about one of these things because you’re the only one who realizes it.

As long as you are able to make your key points you’re fine. Everything else is just fluff. Sure, it may have enhanced your speech, but if you forget to say it then it isn’t the end of the world.

5. Have fun

Smiling Woman Public Speaking

By far, this is the most important thing to remember when you’re sharing your words of wisdom in front of a group of people. By all means, have some fun! The more pressure you put on yourself and the more rigid you try to be, the less effective you will become. But, if you engage your audience in a way that shows that you’re enjoying yourself, they’ll likely enjoy themselves as well.

If you trip and fall getting up on stage, make fun of it. What a great ice-breaker! If you forget a major part of your speech, let them know you have “lost your mind” and request a moment to find it. Sometimes just reducing the stress that you are feeling for a moment is enough to allow your memory to come back so you can resume saying whatever it is you wanted to say.

Don’t let public speaking become this monster in the closet that you’re afraid is going to come out and hurt you. It’s time to turn on the light and see that it doesn’t really exist; it’s just in your mind.

When you’re in front of a group of people, you have the opportunity to reach inside their soul and inspire them. Perfection is not required for the job, just the desire to share the information you want to share. As long as you have that, you’re going to be a great public speaker.

About the author

Christina DeBusk

Changing careers mid-life from law enforcement to writing, Christina spends her days helping others enrich their businesses and personal lives one word at a time.

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