When you add the word “with”, a bond is created. For instance “she’s with me”, “be with child”, “speak with a group.”
So much of stage fright and fear of public speaking is about feeling separated or being judged by others. People with stage fright and fear of public speaking are experiencing a separation from the group involved. Their thoughts are focused on the disconnection from the group and the expectation that the group will somehow not be with them as they speak, share their ideas, present or perform.
A simple shift in thinking about “being with” the audience can make a huge difference in your level of comfort. Learning how to be with the audience transforms the experience of being the center of attention from a sense of feeling isolated to a sense of we are here together.
Think about what it takes to be with others. What do you have to do to create a sense of being with? It’s attention on three levels: 1) a mental intention to connect, 2) a feeling of openness towards and 3) an action of reaching out and speaking truth. Attend to all that with your audience and you be with them in a way that builds connection, chemistry, magnetic attraction and falling in love with listeners. I know it’s a lot, but it is what you have to do to be at ease with others in a group.
