There is a definite link between public speaking and self confidence. You need enough self confidence to be able to get up on stage and deliver a speech. And once you get there and discover that you can actually do it, your self confidence soars. Speaking in public is a powerful way to boost your self confidence.

Public speaking can be used for motivation, influence, persuasion, informing, teaching or simply entertaining. Speaking to a group is a rewarding experience as it allows you to showcase your knowledge or expertise in a public forum. Sharing your thoughts from the podium helps enrich the lives of those in the audience who gain the benefit of your unique experience and insight.

But most of us fear public speaking only because it’s not familiar. Speaking to a group forces you to break out of your comfort zone. When the opportunity to speak is thrust upon you, it takes bravery to conquer the initial sense of fear. But for those who can do it, the rewards are plentiful. Public speaking helps you discover that you’re stronger and more capable than you ever thought you were. Deliver a stellar performance and your confidence surges forward.

When it comes to expressing your thoughts and ideas on stage, self confidence is essential. But for those who suffer extreme shyness or nervousness at the thought of public speaking, it takes some effort. If you’re one who dreads public speaking, try to understand where that fear is coming from. Chances are you’ve never had a bad public speaking experience.

You’ve got to be able to imagine yourself delivering capably and comfortably. Visualization is a huge help in overcoming fear. If you can visualize it, you can do it.

Another confidence builder is preparation. The more you prepare and practice in advance, the more natural it will feel when it’s time to perform. If you find your self confidence low or nonexistent, the best way to boost it is to — practice, practice, practice. When you’re confident about something you can do like drive a car, make dinner, or even speak in public, there’s a feeling of certainty in your capability to perform.

Most fear and anxiety about public speaking is has no basis in reality. It’s just old programming that’s controlling you. Break through the fear and you can change your life as you impact their lives of countless others. All you have to do is break the barrier one time. Learn how to be a better speaker through practice and your self confidence will increase dramatically.

For more information speaking with confidence visit http://www.SelfConfidentSpeaking.com

Technorati Tags: confident public speaking, Public Speaking, Speak With Confidence

To input your speech all you need to do is sit down in a quiet room, free from disturbances, and read your notes to yourself. This aides in memorizing your speech so you can make eye contact with your audience as opposed to just reading from your notes. You may also spot small mistakes at this stage that you can correct before moving to the outputting process. There are no real keys or tricks to this method, only constant repetition.

There any many different tricks you can use to improve your outputting your speech. To perform at your best on the day of your speech you should aim to replicate the conditions you will be giving your speech in during practice.

Variables you need to consider when outputting your speech include whether you’ll be stood up or sat down, if you’ll have a microphone to speak into, if you have technology such as a laptop and projector at your disposal and what type of clothes you’ll be wearing. The more accurately you can simulate the conditions in which you are giving your speech the better prepared you will be.

With practice you can perfect your delivery and timing and really get to grips with what it is you are saying. However even after much practise you will probably want to write down some key notes on a piece of paper or a number of small cards. Well written notes/bullet points will help keep you on track and provide a reminder of the details you want to get across.

As one last little tip I would recommend practising your speech in front of a mirror. This will help you get used to making eye contact with an audience and quell any nerves you have about speaking in public. Just remember practice makes perfect! Jake Rhodes is the author of many self-help articles and currently runs top hypnosis site http://www.hypnobusters.com along with professional hypnotherapist, Jon Rhodes.

Technorati Tags: confident public speaking, Speak With Confidence

Whether you just have one speech to deliver as a best man or matron of honour, or you’re a businessperson who wants to make confident presentations to enhance your position in the company then ask yourself the following questions to fully prepare for your speaking duties.

Who Will The Audience Be?

Before you give a presentation or a speech you should carefully consider exactly who the audience will comprise of. This includes how many people you will be speaking to and the relationship between yourself and the audience. The more you learn about your prospective audience the easier it will be to prepare your speech.

What Do Your Audience Want To Hear?

If you’ve been asked to give a presentation to upper management types then they’ll want to hear a lot of stats, facts and ideas for the future. On the other hand a best man’s speech will be a lot more humour based with a couple of stories and is generally best kept to a short length of time so that the festivities can continue.

How Long Do You Need To Speak For?

Always ask how long you need to speak for. “Just get up and say a few words” isn’t specific enough, push for an exact length of time. The vast majority of public speaking doesn’t last much more than five or ten minutes.

What Should The Tone Be?

Depending on who the audience are and the purpose of the speech you should be able to grasp what the tone should be. If you’re making a short speech at a close friend’s birthday party then you can afford to be a little more risqué than you could giving a eulogy at a funeral. Similarly when you’re giving a business presentation there are circumstances where you can be more informal than usual depending on who the audience are.

Where Will You Be Speaking?

Always consider where it is you’ll be speaking as it makes a big difference. If you have access to a laptop and a projector then you have the option to use visual aids which makes public speaking easier as you no longer have to worry about the audience visually focusing on you. If you’re making a wedding/party speech then there’s a good chance you’ll have a lot of background noise to contend with. Will you have a microphone or will you just have the power of your voice?

The more information you have the better. With clear guidelines you are much more likely to make a speech that stays on point and serves the purpose it was intended Jake Rhodes is the author of many self-help articles and currently runs top hypnosis site http://www.hypnobusters.com along with professional hypnotherapist, Jon Rhodes.

Technorati Tags: confident public speaking, Speak With Confidence

For years I struggled with stage fright and fear of public speaking. My struggles led me to develop ways to manage my tension and eventually to create a method that transforms the tension of stage fright. One of the greatest things I have learned is how to consciously generate connective presence before I start to talk. As a result, I now feel at home and comfortable from the very first minute of a talk. There is no waiting to get comfortable or hoping to get relaxed since I have learned to be present with audiences. There is just a stepping into being with my audience from the first moment. All my efforts can then be put into building deeper and deeper rapport with listeners and on sharing myself fully with them.

Here is how you can create connective presence at your next opportunity to speak up or to speak in front of a group. The following steps will help you to manage your tension, intention and attention so that comfortable connection is a natural outcome of your presence.

First, get yourself into a state of presence by focusing your awareness on being in your body. Simply place your attention in each part of your body, one part at a time. Start by focusing your attention inside your head for 5 or 10 seconds. Be aware of being in your head. Then focus in your neck, then your chest, etc, working your attention all the way down to your feet. You will notice that energy flows where ever you put your attention. By the time you get to your feet, you will be grounded in your body, feeling connected to yourself, filled with energy and present to the moment.

Next, set your intention to care about your listeners. Decide to love them rather than worrying about whether they will like you or not. Decide to be there for them to share your ideas, insights, expertise and talents.

Finally, open yourself to receiving their attention. As you step into the center of attention, be intentional about taking in their attention as support. You will literally sense their energy coming towards you. When you can take their energy in, there is no need to defend, protect or deflect their attention. It simply comes into you, filling you up with a bodily-felt sense of support. You are now in a state of connective presence, being with your listeners and ready to share your ideas.

Managing tension is about consciously focusing human energy through intention and attention. It is what athletes do to get into the ideal performance state so they can play their best game. If athletes can learn this skill, then so can you. Try it and report back to me. If you need some help with grounding in your body, try my Grounding Meditation to support the process of developing your own connective presence.

Sandra Zimmer works with high achievers who are struggling with communication and who may be uncomfortable speaking in groups. She helps them transform the way they express who they are so they feel confident to share their ideas, insights and expertise. Sandra has developed the Zimmer Method for Authentic Communication. Her method guides people through an experiential process that connects them to their natural abilities to express themselves

Technorati Tags: confident public speaking

Confidence does play a big part in effective public speaking and that is why I have posted on this many times in the past. Being thoroughly prepared and well practiced contribute greatly to developing self confidence to being able to present confidently.

 Further to these 2 areas, are 3 factors that support confidence in yourself and in your ability to deliver your speech effectively;-

1.       Appearance. When you are dressed for the occasion you feel better about yourself. And this is the same in public speaking.  Usually if you are smartly dressed and neatly groomed you will be appropriately dressed. You, not only feel better and your audience will appreciate you more. This contributes to your sense of well-being and confidence.

2.       Well rested. Tiredness can make cowards of us all. It takes away our resolve and reduces our energy levels. We can come across ill prepared and not caring when too tired. So getting enough sleep and being relaxed increases our courage and helps us to be calm. We appear more in control and confident to our audience.

3.       Fitness. When we are fit and healthy we generally feel better about ourselves and look better also. It also helps us to handle stressful situations.  The better we feel about ourselves and the easier we can handle stress the more we can speak with ease and confidence to groups of people.

These factors do not replace preparation and practice in developing self confidence but will help in improving how we feel about ourselves and make it easier to speak up with confidence in public speaking or presenting.

A resource that I have found useful in improving my health and fitness is called Truth About Abs. It covers many aspects of health and fitness.  Click here to find out more information on Truth About Abs.

I am looking for some resources to recommend on relaxation and appearance but have not yet found any I like enough.     In the meantime check out Truth About Abs and let me know what you think. 

Technorati Tags: confident public speaking, public speaking fear, Speak With Confidence

You know that fear causes avoidance and avoidance causes more fear. Thus, by staying away from what we are afraid of we won’t be able to overcome fear. The only reasonable approach to this disabling state is taking the bull by the horns and fighting against our weaknesses.

A pounding heart, trembling hands, butterflies in your stomach and your legs turning to jelly are a few of the most common human reactions in exceedingly stressful situations; a racing voice and cluttered mind, even tension in the shoulder and neck area may be added to the list for the public speaker in particular. Such reactions are unhealthy and in most cases bring about undesired results. It is very important to learn how to recognize your body’s reaction to stress and anxiety and of course how to overcome your fears and gain self-confidence.

For public speaking, there are several exercises meant to help you get rid of the feeling of panic and the physical sensations it comes with. Anxiety tightens the muscles in your chest and throat. A restricted airway will not allow the necessary quantity of oxygen into your lungs and brain so deep breathing will expand the throat and chest, promoting relaxation. A couple of sighs before the speech are also known to do wonders.

Yet, a few breathing exercises before a public speaking event are not enough. We were born with the ability to breath from the abdomen, but later in life our breathing has become shallow; it is much easier to breathe like that and we think our lungs get enough air anyway. This is not true. Breathing from your stomach does not send the right quantity of air into your lungs and undoubtedly can’t reduce anxiety either. Learn to deep-breathe again and you will feel a lot better.

Specialists claim that your whole body needs some exercise for you to relax. Progressive muscle relaxation therapy is based on a series of exercises in which certain groups of muscles are tensed for about ten seconds and relaxed again for another ten seconds. Each group is tensed and relaxed twice before you move on to the next. Therapists will show you the best exercises for each muscle group and, though it is not easy, with some practice you will learn how to bring the feeling of total relaxation to your body.

Actors, for example, are in the habit of alternatively shaking their legs before the performance. Stand on one leg and shake the other, then switch legs. Next, shake your hands; hold them above your head and bring them back down. Finally, start chewing in an exaggerated way to warm up your face muscles. Shoulders and neck rolls are very effective too as they prevent the tension that might later affect the muscles of your neck and shoulders.

About the Author

Get more help for your public speaking anxiety and learn how to better cope with public speaking nerves.

Technorati Tags: confident public speaking

How do you gain the ability to believe in yourself and to demonstrate that belief to the whole world? Do you always have to feel confident to look confident? And is reducing anxiety the same thing as gaining confidence?

Let’s explore these questions and solve the mystery of this most desirable and elusive trait.

First of all, what does confidence look like? A confident speaker exudes positive energy that feeds and excites the audience. A confident speaker appears strong and authoritative, but not intimidating. A confident speaker appears relaxed but not sloppy, positive but not saccharine, and knowledgeable but not arrogant. Whew! That’s a lot to live up to.

Confidence is both mental and physical. It’s the positive way you perceive yourself, and it’s the way your body projects that positive self-image. Here are some strategies to move toward both the mental and physical expression of confidence.

Pointer 1: Always be prepared

You must be well-prepared in order to feel confident. That means you’re speaking about a topic you believe in, you know your topic inside and out, you’ve organized your thoughts into a cohesive presentation, and you’ve practiced it enough not to be thrown off by unexpected questions or mishaps. “Winging it” or tossing together your presentation the day before it’s due is only going to increase any anxiety you have about speaking.

Preparation means visiting the venue where you’ll be speaking to get a feel for the room, the layout, where people will be sitting, how much you’ll have to project your voice, and how intimate or formal the setting will be. Where will your equipment go? Where will you stand? Feeling comfortable in the space where you’re speaking will increase your confidence.

Preparation also means anticipating distractions or mishaps. Plan ahead for computer glitches, hostile audience members, forgetting your place, a waiter dropping a plate, and any other problem that might arise. Anticipating mishaps is not the same as worrying about them. When you’ve got Plan B and Plan C in place, you can actually relax more, because you know you’re ready for anything.

Pointer 2: Embrace your uniqueness and imperfections

A confident speaker doesn’t worry about what the audience thinks of her. A confident speaker is more concerned with delivering value and meeting the audience’s needs. So what if you have a lisp, a visible tattoo or a hearing impairment? So what if you have a Scottish accent, a booming voice or you’re from the projects? Make the most of your uniqueness, stand out from the crowd, and be proud of who you are!

If you have a strong accent, slow down when you speak and get feedback on your presentation before you deliver it to make sure you can be understood. If you have a booming voice, make sure to use vocal variation, and be sensitive to the size of the room and how close the audience is to you. The point is this: make your uniqueness work for you, not against you. Never be ashamed or embarrassed about who you are.

Audiences don’t want speakers who are perfect, by the way. They want to be able to relate to and connect with the speaker. A presenter who is perfect makes her achievements seem unattainable. Be human, be real, and be you.

Use positive self-talk to reframe the way you perceive yourself as a person and a speaker. Before your presentation, say to yourself, “I believe in myself,” or “I’m special and unique, and there’s no one in the world like me.” It seems a little corny, but affirmations work! Pair your mental practice with physical practice. Make sure your posture, eye contact and body language also say “I’m confident.”

Pointer 3: Don’t apologize

A confident speaker doesn’t let the audience know when he’s nervous. What? Confident speakers get nervous? Yes, of course they do!

The difference between a confident speaker and one who lacks confidence is that the latter tries to gain favor with the audience by pointing out or apologizing for his nervousness. This doesn’t gain points with the audience; in fact, it makes them pity the poor speaker. A confident speaker doesn’t want pity; he wants respect! A confident speaker appears calm and relaxed, even when nervous. This takes physical and mental practice, but the pros do it every day and so can you.

When things go wrong in your presentation, don’t dwell on them and don’t announce them. The audience most likely has no idea that you’ve lost your place or left something out. Keep going as though nothing has happened; the show must go on.

In the event that you make an obvious mistake, like spilling your water all over the lectern, take care of the problem quickly, lighten up the situation with a little humor, then move on. If you dwell on it, so will the audience. Successfully and smoothly handling a mishap shows you’re a professional and adds to the audience’s positive perception of you.

These tips are mostly about how you perceive yourself and how the audience perceives you as a result. You don’t have to be confident to appear confident, but the beauty of this mental and physical practice is that the more you appear confident to others, the more your confidence will grow for real. When you believe in yourself and believe in your message, your audience will, too.

About the Author

Lisa Braithwaite works with individuals to uncover their challenges and build their strengths in presenting themselves confidently as speakers. Find your voice with public speaking coaching! Sign up for my newsletter and find out about my free consultation by visiting http://www.coachlisab.com.

Technorati Tags: confident public speaking

If this is your first time public speaking then perhaps you are nervous because you’re not sure what to expect. That is a perfectly natural response to have but be careful not to allow it to run away with your emotions. Depending on your audience, you may actually know people in attendance and would not feel at all nervous speaking to them in a one on one situation. Whenever there is a group of them, however, and their attention is focused on you, you might feel as if they are going to pick apart everything you say. This is not typically the case.

If you are someone experienced at public speaking then perhaps your nervousness is not all that bad of an emotional response after all. A little bit of nervousness is healthy whenever you’re getting up in front of an audience and can actually keep you on your toes. Try to turn those negative emotions into a positive experience for those that you’re speaking to. You can do this in one of three different ways that I like to call the 3 P’s of public speaking, preparation, persistence and perspiration.

The first P of public speaking is probably one of the most important, preparation. If you’re going to be able to speak intelligently about anything in a public situation you need to be very familiar with it. Think about your favorite hobby or perhaps a sport that you really love. How difficult do you think it would be for you to speak about this in front of a group? The same would hold true for almost any subject. The more familiar you are with it, the easier it will be to speak about.

The persistence part comes in after the initial preparation is done. You need to hone your skills in public speaking and be persistent in your practicing so that you are confident whenever you finally take the stage. Yes, you will be nervous to a certain extent but the more persistence you have in your preparation, the smoother you will appear to be. Finally, the perspiration part of your talk comes whenever you are actually giving your presentation. Just sweat it out and do your best and get it done in the best way possible.

Although it may be difficult for you to speak in front of a group, you certainly can overcome your fears to a certain extent with a little bit of practice. Just make sure that you take the time in advance to prepare yourself and you will be more confident with what you have to say. That confidence will show through on the stage and you will be able to feed off of your audiences response.

About the Author

For more public speaking tips to help cure your stage fright please visit http://www.overcomestagefright.org

Technorati Tags: confident public speaking

A little nervousness is good. You want to get the adrenaline flowing and then use this energy to infuse your speech with vitality and enthusiasm. But when it’s time to deliver, you’ve got to be able to perform and knowing how to relax on demand is the secret.

You can use all the tips, techniques, methods, and strategies taught by the pros and still perform far below your potential if you can’t get yourself to calm down. Everyone tells you to relax. But can you relax when you’re about to take the stage?

The real secret to making an outstanding presentation to any size of crowd is to be able to trigger a state of relaxation before and throughout your speech.

Don’t take yourself too seriously. Lighten up and be human. Audiences respect that and they don’t expect perfection. What they do want is to hear your story, learn from your experience and discover the insights on the topic you’re going to discuss.

Don’t make it a ‘do or die’ situation. It’s just a presentation. It’s an opportunity to leave people with something that can make them better off than they were before. It’s not going to cost you your job if your performance doesn’t qualify you as International Toastmaster of the Year.

You want to make an impact. But don’t put pressure on yourself by looking at as your one big chance to create global peace forever.

Prepare your speech in advance. Review it. Rehearse it. And then forget about it. That’s what many pros do. They prepare their speech, and then tuck it away until the time comes to speak. I find it’s best to visualize your performance and mentally rehearse your presentation the night before. Just see it through in your minds eye and make it a great performance.

On the big day, stay light and relaxed. Go for a workout or a swim before your speech. Exercise is great for the body and soul. Practice breathing exercises.

You can do these at any time, but I find they’re most effective just before you speak. Deep breathing gets the oxygen flowing to the brain and every cell of your body. It’s invigorating and relaxing at the same time. It helps you gain clarity so you can perform at your best.

Do you stumble, fumble or crumble into pieces at the mere thought of speaking to a group? Do you avoid public speaking… and miss out on promotions, recognition and the opportunities that being able to speak with confidence gives you? Discover proven solutions that can turn even the most timid, shy, or fearful person into a public speaking dynamo fast by Clicking Here Now.

Technorati Tags: confident public speaking

How incredible is that? To be more frightened of talking to a few people than of having your life ended.

It’s particularly surprising when you realise just how easily you can overcome your fear of public speaking. Using a program such as Unlimited Confidence can teach you tools to overcome this fear and be able to speak out when you need to.

When you talk about public speaking, people instantly think of standing on a stage in front of a huge audience presenting a lecture. However, public speaking is much more than just that. It could giving a speech at a wedding, doing a presentation at work, speaking out in a meeting, or for a club or society you belong to.

Being able to speak in public will help you to feel better about yourself and can help you get ahead in your career too. If you think about it, as you get higher up the ladder in your career, so you find you have to talk to more people and present; so this level of confidence becomes even more important.

This fear manifests physically before having to speak. It starts off as an anxiety, and then becomes a dry mouth, trembling muscles, rapid breathing, and a need to run to the bathroom. In worst cases it can involve sheer panic and the desire to run away.

So how can you get rid of this fear and feel more comfortable with speaking in front of people?

Firstly, you can practise. The more you do something the more confidence and comfortable you become doing it. You can join a group such as Toastmasters International which allows you to develop your communication and leadership skills. You can also volunteer to speak in front of any group of people too.

The Unlimited Confidence course teaches you some valuable tools to help you become more confident not only speaking in public, but in any situation. You will learn how to

* Instantly boost your confidence in seconds without anyone knowing what you are doing * Learn how to use body language to convey confidence * Discover how you can attach confidence to absolutely anything * And many more practical and effective techniques

You will also learn in this course how to use mental rehearsal to program yourself for more confidence, and this can be applied very easily to public speaking. You probably currently run a mental movie of you falling on your face and embarrassing yourself when you speak in front of a group. If instead of running that movie you saw yourself speaking really well, the audience enjoying it and you get applauded at the end, what do you think would happen?

Of course, I am sure you could think of a number of different areas of your life you could apply this technique to, couldn’t you?

Speaking in front of people is actually extremely easy with just a few small changes to the way you think – and you never know, you might even enjoy it!

Jason E. Johns is a personal success coach specializing in helping you become more confident through an innovative and compassionate approach. Discover how you can become full of confidence at his self confidence website, UnlimitedConfidence.com

Technorati Tags: confident public speaking