Speaking FreelyOvercoming stage fright and fear of public speaking blogTag Archives: Fear of Public Speaking

There is something about public speaking, expressing oneself in groups, presenting or performing that triggers many people’s desire to look perfect.  It seems we just can’t give ourselves permission to be imperfect and…. well, human.  When we don’t feel safe to be genuinely who we are in front of others, we tense up the body… Read more

Many speakers allow their listeners to ask them questions, but not many ask questions of the audience.  Ellen Finklestein of ellenfinklestein.com writes an excellent article about asking questions of your audience.  I will let you read her article for yourself. At the end of her article she says it is important to plan your questions carefully. … Read more

Learning to speak in front of groups is similar to the caterpillar’s process.  The high intensity of energy that gets stirred inside your body when you become the center of attention requires a meltdown.  You have to melt into the feelings of physical tension and emotional overwhelm that get stirred up inside.  The lovely thing… Read more

This week, Andrew Dlugan’s Six Minutes Blog on Public Speaking and Presentation Skills published my guest article “9 Steps to Conquer Nerves and Communicate Clearly in Interviews.”  This article is only published on Six Minutes.  You can read the entire article.  Thanks Andrew for the opportunity to share! Read more

To empower your talks, identify a universal message that you own through experience.   A universal message will energize your presentations with passion for what you are saying.  A contributing factor to stage fright and fear of speaking is the fact that people often leave out their most deeply held beliefs and values from their presentations. … Read more

Normally I write about stage fright and fear of public speaking, but today my focus is broader. As we face an economic crisis, just about everybody is feeling some fear and anxiety right now.  I have been working to overcome mine and to transform the fear into power. I have also been pondering what I… Read more

If you pay close attention to how you feel during stage fright, you will notice that the feeling is very familiar, and about as old as your earliest memories.  It is the same feeling that you had when you were a small child – powerless, overwhelmed by the larger world and totally dependent on others… Read more

Effectiveness in public speaking or presentation is not about your performance.  It is certainly not about being perfect in your speaking style.  Effectiveness has to do with what happens to them, your listeners, as a result of who you are being with them.  If you shared ideas, information and stories that cause your listeners to… Read more

  So often, speakers feel that they are getting up in front of strangers.  And worse, they expect that the strangers in their audience will be unaccepting or disapproving of what they have to say.  The thought that they might not like you or agree with you triggers a terrifying reaction in your body and mind.… Read more

 The key question to ask yourself when you are frozen in fear or gripped in anxiety is “How do I say something real right now?  What is the most authentic thing I can say now?  What is true for me at this moment?” Stage fright, fear of public speaking and performance anxiety are caused by the… Read more