I’ve been crippled by the fear of public speaking for a large portion of my life. I’ve always been shy so I blamed it on that but since entering into adulthood, I’ve realised that this may not necessarily be the case. Whether a person is shy or confident, they too could be battling with this fear. Glossophobia, the fear of public speaking, is a lot more common than you’d think. It affects 75% of the population and ranges from feeling a bit of nervousness to experiencing full on panic.
Glossophobia often arises when a person has one bad public speaking experience. Although I’d always been quiet in my younger years, I wasn’t afraid to speak in front of a crowd. I loved participating in plays, assemblies and presentations until one day, in secondary school, I had a not so favourable experience presenting in front of my peers. From then on, if I was ever to speak in front of a crowd, small or large, my voice would break, I’d stutter and my legs would tremble.
During school, university and, later, work I’d avoid any chance of speaking in front of a crowd. When I couldn’t, more often than not, I’d get panicky and have an embarrassing experience that left me dreading it even more. In my almost mid 20s, I’m more confident than I’ve ever been before, but standing up to talk in front of people still bothers me. But it wasn’t until this year that I realised I would never overcome it if I always ran away. So, I began to put in place some techniques to help bridle my fear. If you feel the same way, I hope you can use these too.
Positive thinking
The fear of public speaking often stems from being afraid to embarrass ourselves. However, if we continue to harbour these negative thoughts, we’re only going to manifest negative results. Instead, we need to change our thoughts and think positively about the situation. Repeat positive affirmations in your head, visualise yourself speaking confidently, clearly and calmly, or even better, script your way to success! Scripting is writing the outcome of a result as if it’s already happened. It’s a powerful way to channel your mind to achieve results you want.
If you’d like to know more about scripting, watch this video.
Practice, practice, practice
When you have a fear like glossophobia, you tend to avoid public speaking at all costs. Yet, for us to grow we have to put ourselves in uncomfortable situations. You may or may not do amazing the first time you put yourself out there, but you’ll be grateful that you took that step and will feel encouraged to do it again. But don’t just stop there! Whatever it is, whether you’re leading a presentation, delivering a speech or reciting a piece of poetry, ensure that you prepare thoroughly. Practice so that you are familiar and comfortable with what you’re saying. If you can, try to get friend(s) or family member(s) in a room to perform in front of. It’s not exactly the same but it will help with getting you used to a crowd.
Keep calm and eat a banana
This might seem like a wacky one if you haven’t heard about the power of bananas, but bananas are great at calming your nerves! Studies have shown that the potassium found in this fruit helps you to relax, allowing you to perform at your best. It’s a natural and cheap technique used by anyone that has a speaking arrangement. I always eat a banana or two, 30 to 45 minutes before a presentation or interview. It’s as if all my fears, doubts and worries melt away, allowing me to perform with ease.
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil
CBD oil (an extract derived from marijuana) and its benefits are increasingly on the rise. No, it will not get you high as I’m jokingly (and seriously) asked! There aren’t any hallucinating properties in CBD. Rather, CBD generates therapeutic effects that return your body to a state of balance, meaning it’s great for any stress and anxiety associated with public speaking. Although it’s slightly pricey, it’s very effective if you’re looking to explore this route. Of recent, I’ve began to take this internally and have felt its calming effects instantly.
Public speaking can be a traumatic experience. However, with anything in life, you can overcome it. I’m not at all perfect and still have moments where I dread it. But when I remember to be positive and use some of the techniques discussed above to settle my nerves, I know I can do anything! This year is the year to better yourself, so make the steps to overcome your fear today.
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Written by Annette Christian
Illustrated by Francesca Mariama
