How to Feel Comfortable Speaking in Public

The thought of speaking in public in front of a big crowd is enough to make most people cringe. Most polls show that around 40% of people have an intense fear of public speaking. Knowing that you have to speak in front of a crowd can cause a lot of stress and nervousness for many days and weeks before the actual event. This article will explain a few ways to calm yourself down and make sure that your speech goes well.

The first way to feel more comfortable about your speech is to know that it is good and your audience will like it. The key to this is practice. The more comfortable you feel with what you will be saying, the more comfortable you will feel behind the podium in front of the crowd. Practice speaking in front of your family and friends and allow them to give you constructive criticism. Make sure that you know as much as possible about your subject. Be confident enough in your knowledge that if people feel the need to ask questions after your speech that you can accurately answer them. Jot down notes on your paper if that will help you to remember certain things that may not actually be in your speech. Know your speech so well that you can almost recite it from memory. Practice and recite it a few times each day. Taking all these precautions will prevent you from looking bad. If you are fully prepared and know your material, the only thing that can possibly make you look bad will be an accidental fall while walking up to the stage or some other unfortunate event. Do not think about this though, you will be fine!

Being early to your speaking engagement is something that should help to calm the jitters a little bit and make you feel more comfortable. Showing up at the last minute will cause you to be flustered, worried, and nervous and this will most definitely be visible to your audience. Arrive early, take in your surroundings, and get comfortable. Know each detail about where you will be sitting and moving from. This will help to ease your mind and body more than you may think.

Make sure that you can relate to your audience. Know as much as possible who will be there and what type of demographic you will be speaking to. Possibly include bits of humor in your speech that will entertain the interests of your audience. Make sure, however, that you do not go over the top with a joke. Making a joke and having nobody laugh will perhaps be the most uncomfortable feeling you will ever experience. If you do not think you can pull of a joke or a bit of humor, do not try it at all.

Perhaps the biggest key to feeling comfortable in a public speaking situation is to try to enjoy yourself. Do not worry about every single word you say, if you have prepared well enough, you should have nothing to worry about at all.

Preparation is the key, and with it will come the enjoyment of giving a great presentation. If you take all the necessary precautions, you will feel comfortable; even while speaking in front of a large crowd. Put your mind at ease by knowing you will do a good job.