What happens to your body when you glance at this image or when faced with having to speak in public? Dry mouth? Racing heart? Nausea and a feeling of panic?
You are not alone.
Every day I work with clients who describe the ‘trepidation’ and ‘anxiety’ they feel each time they need to speak in public.
But we’re not talking about standing alone on a stage with a microphone in front of hundreds of people.
We are also talking about common, everyday situations – like contributing an idea during a meeting, giving a work presentation, talking to a small panel in a job interview, giving a speech at a wedding or even chatting with new people at a networking or social get-together.
If you are reading this blog, chances are you feel that same kind of fear.
And it’s not surprising.
The National Social Anxiety Centre reports that public speaking anxiety, or glossophobia, affects about 73% of the population. The underlying fear is judgment or negative evaluation by others.
Why do so many people fear public speaking?
One of the biggest fears is your brain freezing or having a mental blank.
The trouble is when you are feeling fearful, this increases your anxiety and makes it more likely for your brain to freeze, so it can be a vicious circle if you don’t address it.
Other key reasons include:
- Risk of being embarrassed or humiliated
- Feeling vulnerable in unknown or unforeseen circumstances
- Imposter syndrome – why would they want to listen to me?
- Critical and judgmental audiences who have heard it all before
- Failing completely in front of people.
If you fear public speaking for any of these reasons, you probably avoid it as much as possible.
Don’t let frightening past experiences dictate your future.
Avoiding your fear actually feeds the fear.
It puts fear in control and allows it to grow and to cement as a habit.
The most significant problem with avoiding this fear is that, if you avoid speaking up, you’ll never be heard.
And you deserve to be heard.
You deserve the opportunity to progress in your career, in your interests and in life, generally.
You deserve the opportunity to pitch yourself and your ideas with confidence and clarity.
To make your unique contribution.
To be respected and well regarded for the way you live your life and what you have to say.
To regain your power and find your voice contact me to conquer your fears of public speaking.