Gorgeous Guest Post by Anna Johnson-Hill.
I am a confident public speaker but that doesn’t mean I’m perfect. I still build up a nervous energy before I go on stage or stumble a bit over my words every now and then. These days I genuinely feel happy and excited at the chance to be able to speak in front of people. But it wasn’t always this way…
In primary school, I would pretend to be sick so I didn’t have to go to school and speak in front of the class. It continued in highschool where I would stand up the front with my hands shaking and my thoughts telling me that nobody cared about what I was saying. I would memorise my speech the night before and ensure every single word was written on my palm cards. I continued these habits into university and was envious of those who could get up and speak verbatim without a care.
In the back of my mind I knew that public speaking was something that I wanted to get good at because there were a couple of speeches I did that went brilliantly and I thrived on the feeling. I wanted more of that feeling so I got to work.
The following is what I learned in the following few years whilst on a mission to become a confident speaker. Here are three years of work in 3 super simple steps:
1. Be a Change-Making Charlie
Change your perspective. Remember that you have been speaking since you were a little kid. You do it every single day. It is the same as having a one-on-one conversation but with many people. Making this change is the first step towards feeling at ease in your skin and becoming confident.
2. Stop being a Negative Nancy
Notice your negative thoughts. This step is all about recognising the negative thoughts you tell yourself before and during your talk. Know what these negative triggers are for you. You can’t un-know what you know. Once you know what thoughts pop in to your head. You can go about halting them to stop that downward spiral that’ll just freak you out.
3. Start thinking like Positive Polly
Positive self-talk. Now you can replace those negative thoughts with something positive. What do you think a great speaker says before they get on stage? Think of your favourite speaker or comedian. Do you think they’re telling themselves that they suck and nobody cares what they’re about to say? No, they’re probably saying how excited they are for the opportunity to spread their message to so many people.
I really hope you take action on this. To help you, I have a video on this topic over on my YouTube channel and I think it would be really beneficial to cement these ideas.
If you have any other questions about public speaking or want me to speak at your next event, shoot an email to Hello@AnnaJohnsonHill.com. I’d love to hear from you and meet you at my next event.
Love and appreciation,
PS: I absolutely adore Amanda’s blog and community at Gorgeous Presence and would love to give you free access to one of my meditations which is so powerful in setting you up for a successful day. Click here to jump on my exclusive offer for the Gorgeous Presence community!
About our Gorgeous Guest
Anna Johnson-Hill is an Australian wellness activist, entrepreneur and study guru for students keen to do well not only in their studies but in life. Her mission is to assist students in looking after themselves and igniting self-worth so they can lead healthier and happier lives. Join in here.
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I hope Anna’s words have inspired you to overcome your fear of public speaking. I know they have certainly helped me, and I am currently working on some exciting new projects for you all (hint: videos!).
Don’t forget to hit reply below in the comments section to share your own speaking tips and experiences.
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