Taming the Nervous Beast

Do you feel butterflies in your stomach when you have to speak in front of an audience? Do you sweat, tremble, or stutter when you are on stage? If you answered yes, you are not alone. Many people experience stage fright, or the fear of public speaking. It is a natural response to a stressful situation, but it can also interfere with your performance and prevent you from sharing your message effectively. 

But don't worry, there are ways to overcome your nervousness and deliver a confident and engaging speech. In this blog post, I will share with you seven tips that will help you calm your nerves and shine on stage. These tips are based on scientific research, personal experience, and common sense. They are easy to follow and can make a big difference in how you feel and how you speak. Let's get started! 

1. Relax Those Hands 

One of the first signs of nervousness is tense hands. You may clench your fists, wring your fingers, or fidget with your notes. These gestures can make you look nervous and distract your audience from your message. To avoid this, you need to relax your hands before and during your speech. 

Before the speech, you can squeeze a stress ball or a soft toy to release some tension. This will help you loosen up your muscles and calm your nerves. You can also massage your palms, wrists, and fingers to improve blood circulation and reduce stiffness. 

During the speech, you should let go of clenched fists and rest your hands naturally at your sides. This will make you look more relaxed and confident. You can also use your hands to gesture, but make sure they are not too fast or too big. Keep them within the frame of your body and use them to emphasize your points. 

2. Power Pose 

Another way to calm your nerves and boost your confidence is to adopt a power pose. A power pose is a body posture that conveys dominance and authority. Research has shown that power posing can increase your testosterone levels, decrease your cortisol levels, and improve your performance in stressful situations. 

Before the speech, you can channel your inner superhero with a power pose and hold it for two minutes. This will help you feel more powerful and confident. You can choose from these three power poses: 

- The Victory Pose: Stand tall with feet apart and raise your arms in a V-shape above your head. This pose mimics the gesture of winning and celebrates your success. 

- The Wonder Woman: Stand up straight, tilt your chin upward, and put your hands on your hips. This pose shows your strength and courage and makes you look invincible. 

- The Tony Stark: Stand with open arms, palms facing up. Keep your chest lifted and your head held high. This pose displays your openness and charisma and makes you look like a leader. 

3. Confident Strides 

The way you walk onto the stage can also affect how you feel and how you are perceived by your audience. A confident walk can make you look more professional and credible, while a timid walk can make you look insecure and nervous. Therefore, you should pay attention to how you move towards the stage and make sure you stride confidently. 

To do this, you should keep your shoulders back and lift your chin up slightly. This will make you look more confident and assertive. You should also maintain eye contact with your audience and smile warmly. This will make you look more friendly and approachable. You should also avoid rushing or dragging your feet. Instead, you should walk at a moderate pace and with a steady rhythm. This will make you look more calm and composed. 

4. Anchor Yourself 

Once you are on stage, you need to anchor yourself and establish your presence. A nervous wobble can project insecurity and make you lose your balance. To avoid this, you need to stand tall with your shoulders back and your feet shoulder-width apart. This will make you look more stable and grounded. 

You can also imagine yourself as a rooted tree, strong and unwavering. Feel the connection between your feet and the floor and visualize roots growing from your soles into the ground. This will help you feel more secure and centered. 

You should also move purposefully and confidently on stage. Don't pace back and forth or wander aimlessly. Instead, you should move when you want to change the focus of your speech or create some variety. You can also use the space on stage to create contrast or emphasize your points. For example, you can move closer to your audience when you want to build rapport or move away when you want to create suspense. 

5. Channel Your Energy 

One of the biggest challenges of public speaking is to manage your nervous energy. Nervous energy can manifest as fidgeting, shaking, or speaking too fast. These behaviors can distract both you and your audience from your message and make you look less confident. To overcome this, you need to channel your energy into something more productive and positive. 

One way to do this is to imagine holding an invisible beach ball and gently pushing it out with open palms to emphasize your points. This will help you use your energy to gesture and communicate more effectively. You can also redirect your energy into your voice and vary your tone, pitch, and volume to create interest and engagement. 

Another way to channel your energy is to focus on your message and your audience. Don't think about yourself or your fears. Instead, think about what you want to say and why you want to say it. Think about how you can help your audience and what value you can provide them. This will help you shift your attention from your anxiety to your purpose and passion. 

6. Breathe and Savor 

One of the most common effects of nervousness is speaking too quickly. When you are nervous, you tend to breathe shallowly and speak faster than normal. This can make you sound less clear and less credible. It can also make you run out of breath and lose your train of thought. To avoid this, you need to breathe deeply and savor your speech. 

Before the speech, you should take deep breaths and exhale slowly. This will help you relax your body and mind and lower your heart rate and blood pressure. You can also practice some breathing exercises, such as the 4-7-8 technique, to calm your nerves and improve your oxygen intake. 

During the speech, you should savor your speech and enjoy the moment. Don't rush through your words or skip over your sentences. Instead, you should speak slowly and clearly and pause after key points. You can also use silence for effect and create anticipation and curiosity. This will help you control your pace and deliver your message more powerfully. 

7. Be Prepared for Anything – Unagi 

The last tip to overcome your nervousness on stage is to be prepared for anything. Things don't always go according to plan. You may encounter technical glitches, unexpected questions, or unforeseen interruptions. These situations can throw you off guard and make you panic. To prevent this, you need to embrace the unexpected with grace and humor. 

Before the speech, you should anticipate possible problems and have backup plans. You should also rehearse your speech in different scenarios and with different audiences. This will help you prepare for any situation and adapt to any changes. 

During the speech, you should laugh off minor hiccups and don't let them ruin your mood. You should also acknowledge the situation and address it with honesty and confidence. For example, if your slides don't work, you can say something like "Well, it seems like the technology gods are not on my side today. But don't worry, I have a backup plan. Let me tell you a story instead." 

You can also use humor to diffuse the tension and lighten the mood. For example, if you stumble on stage, you can say something like "Oops, I guess I was too excited to see you all. Don't worry, I'm fine. Just a little bruised ego." Humor can help you connect with your audience and show your human side. 

Remember the TV show Friends, where Ross teaches Rachel and Phoebe the concept of Unagi, a state of total awareness? Well, you need to have Unagi when you are on stage. You need to be aware of your surroundings, your audience, and yourself. You need to be ready for anything and handle it with poise and professionalism. 

Summary 

To summarize, here are the seven tips to overcome your nervousness on stage: 

By following these tips, you can overcome your fear of public speaking and deliver a confident and engaging speech. You can also enjoy the experience and have fun with it. Remember, public speaking is not a torture, it is an opportunity. An opportunity to share your ideas, to inspire your audience, and to make a difference. 

So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and conquer the stage. You can do it. I believe in you. 😊