Public Speaking: You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along’. Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt

Public speaking is one of our greatest fears. Whether it is:

• Speaking at team meetings
• Presenting to customers
• Leaving / retirement speeches
• Best man / maid of honour speeches
• Eulogies
• Job interviews.

Some people are natural public speakers, others find it difficult and dreadful. Those that find it difficult are all too familiar with the fear of your mind going blank, mouth drying up, stumbling over words, sweating, increased heart beat and shaky legs.

Way of improving Public Speaking?

We innocently acquired the fear of Public Speaking as part of our experiences in life. However the GOOD NEWS is we can unlearn that fear.

Better still, “public speaking with confidence” is a skill that can be acquired and learnt. Even those who speak with ease, would have learnt the skill at some point. They could have picked it up unconsciously from their immediate environment (family, community) or more formally through training at school, college (debating societies) or as part of their career development.

Often we are encouraged to “”feel the fear and do it anyway”, whilst that may work for some, for others that strategy reinforces their original fears. So how can we “look fear in the face” in a way which is comfortable, appropriate and relatively safe?

The Solution Focused Hypnotherapy strategy of the 3Ps is the secret:

• Positive Action
• Positive Interaction
• Positive Thinking

When we take small positive actions to achieve a goal, such as “Public Speaking with confidence”, get support from others and have a positive thoughts and attitudes around the goal then it becomes possible.

It may even become something that you enjoy doing. Imagine that!

Examples of actions:

• Focus on what you want rather than what you don’t want! Make Public Speaking a goal.
• Take opportunity to speak out loud in public in situations which are safe and do not matter.
• Practice delivering a speech. Practice to friends and get feedback.
• Review what went well and what you will do differently next time.
• Get support and training from courses and mentors (e.g. Toastmasters International a not for profit organisation that helps people develop their communications skills)
• Notice where you already are confident speaking.
• Have FUN with the process, let it fill you with excitement.

The consequence of taking ownership of our response to a particular goal, we feel more in control and release neurotransmitters (e.g. serotonin) into our bodies that produce a feeling of wellbeing. This makes us happier, more able to cope and braver and so more willing to take goal orientated ACTion (See above).

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy (SFHT) turbo boosts the above process, by helping you raise levels of that wellbeing neurotransmitter serotonin, and address any negative anxiety provoking thoughts. Those negative thoughts can be about yourself, the perceptions of the audience or even about your suitability to be delivering the talk. Just imagine how useful it would be to remove some of those thoughts!

To confidently speak in public, take advantage of the FREE consultation and contact ACT Hypnotherapy using the link below: