If you have a fear of public speaking let me start by reassuring you – YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

The good news is that many millions of people have already found ways to dissolve, diminish are control their fears so, if they can do it so can you – Right!

One of the simplest and most powerful techniques that they use is based on the realisation that the only thing that gives fear it’s power is the fear itself.   Imagine you are in a busy underground train on your way to work when it suddenly stops in between stations and the lights go out.

What does that little voice in your head start to say?   “Oh my god!   Maybe we are going to be trapped!”   Maybe there is a bomb on the train.   Maybe we are all going to die.”   With those thoughts, come  a whole lot of physical symptoms , following along as inevitably as a line of baby ducks following their mother.

Sweaty palms, racing heart, churning stomach, shallow breathing, you know the drill.  All the same symptoms you get when you think about standing up in front of an audience to speak.

Now imagine that this event happened again.  The train stopped,  the lights go out and that little voice in your head says “You’re going to die!”    But this time, instead of giving in to the fear you surrender and  and welcome the possibility that you might die.   “Bring it” on you say to yourself!   “Maybe today is a great day to die!”      See What happens when you change your thoughts.

No sweaty palms, no palpitations, no flushing, no stomach cramps, just a sense of inner calm and peace.

So you could do exactly the same thing next time you start to feel nervous about speaking in public.

Step 1 – Notice what you are afraid of – looking stupid, drying up, saying something stupid, fainting etc.

Step 2 – Instead of fearing that possible end result, surrender to it.   “OK, if I am going to faint, so be it, it’s not the end of the world – bring it on!”

Step 3 – notice how this acceptance of what you fear totally changes your reaction and dissolves the fear.

So now you know what to do.  All you have to do is practice it!   I said it was a simple technique but I didn’t say it was easy.   It will seem counter intuitive at first but you have to recognise that you are changing a habit and that means taking control and doing something different.   The benefits far outweigh the small degree of effort required – go for it and let me know how you get on.

Gavin Meikle
The Presentation Coach

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