5 Practical Tips to Overcome
the Fear of Speaking in Public

The fear of speaking in public can be so intense that it paralyzes some people and stops them from giving the intelligent, articulate speech that they have been rehearsing in their heads for days, weeks, or sometimes months. It is quite disappointing to stand up in front of others and feel yourself choke or sense that your heart is beating so loud you can’t hear your own words. If you struggle with speaking in public and want to conquer your fear of speaking, then the following tips should help you overcome it in the future.

#1: Make sure you have the first minute or two of your speech down perfectly.

For many people with a light fear of speaking in public, it only takes the first few minutes of speaking to move beyond the fear and settle into the speech comfortably. If this is your first speech or you know for certain that your main fear vanishes once you get into the speech, make sure you prepare the first portion of your speech to perfection.

You should have every word memorized so you don’t have to worry about reading off of a teleprompter or from paper while your nerves are trembling.

#2: Practice in front of those who love you.

Assemble a group of people who you know love you and who you trust and give your speech to them. For a more intense fear of public speaking you may want to start with just one or two people and gradually increase the crowd until you are speaking in front of a large group of family and friends. This will allow you to become comfortable in larger groups with time.

The benefit here is seeing the reaction of others to your words and seeing that they still love you, even when you mess up or if your opening joke isn’t really all that funny.

#3: Start preparing for the speaking event well in advance, when possible.

As soon as you know you will have to give a speech in front of others, get your words down on paper and start practicing. The more time you have to memorize the words and tweak everything to perfection the more comfortable you are going to feel.

#4: Incorporate meditation, yoga, or other relaxation methods into your daily life.

Anxiety and stress has a lot to do with the fear of speaking in public, so try to calm your nerves and relax in natural ways in the weeks and months leading up to a speech. If you will have to speak in front of others at unexpected moments or on a routine basis it is best to perform meditation or yoga daily so you are calmer in general.

#5: Take long, slow, deep breaths and repeat affirmations in your head just before entering the stage or standing up.

Spend some time looking up quotes that inspire you and bring calmness to your body and then repeat them in your head over and over while breathing deeply prior to going on stage.

Feel free to tweak these tips as needed to help you overcome your fear of speaking in public.