Presence is the antidote to stage fright and fear of public speaking. Cultivating a sense of presence and being present in the moment, will support highly sensitive people who are feeing stressed about presenting and performing in front of groups.
The main key to presence is getting the thinking mind out of the head and into the body. You have to focus your attention below the neck into the whole body and become aware of sensations inside your skin. This effort will reverse the tendencies to stay in your head, run negative thoughts and avoid the important humanizing aspect of feelings and emotions.
Here are three exercises to help develop presence:
- Breathe deeply into your body. Open your mouth and breathe air down your spine all the way to your pelvis. Mentally follow the breath stream as you inhale and exhale.
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Focus your attention into each separate part of your body, from your neck down to your feet. Simply pay attention to being inside each part of your body. This will bring a sense of energy into the whole body.
- Shake the muscles of your arms and legs. Shake one extremity at a time. Shake hard for as along as 30 seconds. When you stop shaking, you will feel a great sense of blood and energy flowing through your body.
Focus your attention on what you are feeling now, in this moment. After doing the exercises above, you will most likely notice that you feel more peaceful and still inside. Your mind will seem quieter and emotions will not be so stirred up. You will be able to think more clearly and think on your feet more easily.
