How to deal with anxiety before a vocal performance. How to deal with pre-speech anxiety

Everyone experiences anxiety before speaking in public. Whether it's an exam, a competition, a stage performance, or an interview meeting for the right job as a future employee of a company or a place in an educational institution as a student. Or maybe this is a meeting with the one (or the one) with whom you are very in love ...

The first thing that the reader of these lines needs to understand is that the excitement before a performance is not only an absolutely normal state, but also ... necessary. Probably, it’s better for me not to “pull the rubber”, but to immediately stun you from the very beginning ...

How to calm down before speaking in public

At the very beginning, you must deeply understand the following:

Do not try to remove the feeling of excitement, remove the "jitters", get rid of and overcome fear!

I will say even more:

Fear public speaking as much as you can, let you "shake", your legs will be "cottony", and your hands will be cold and wet to the touch, and trembling!

And I will be 100% sure for you that you will perform better in public than you could imagine. Believe me, there will be no "failure". Because you are fully mobilized, the whole consciousness spurs you on and gathers together - a feeling of excitement and anxiety.

Why do we get nervous before public speaking?

The main reasons for the excitement before speaking in public can be:

High expectations and overpriced significance assessment this event. We often attach great importance to an ordinary speech lasting 3-5 minutes, and if something goes wrong, then something terrible will happen after that. We compare the very chance to speak to a speech before the president or in court, where our freedom is at stake. It is important to learn to objectively assess the importance of such an event.

Last negative experience public speaking. If in a previous similar situation you were very agitated or defeated, then in this situation you will experience the same emotions. Try to forget what happened to you in the past situation and start everything from scratch.

Erroneous belief that the audience in which you will have to speak publicly is initially hostile. This is not true. People treat the speaker at least neutrally and at first give the speaker a certain credit of trust. Of course, there are initially negative listeners, but they criticize everyone, not only us, and you should not judge all listeners by them.

Fear of forgetting prepared speech. In this case, you need to rehearse your speech in advance and make a plan so as not to get confused in front of the audience.

Fear of additional questions on this topic. In this case, it is important to understand that it is impossible to know absolutely everything and if you are asked an additional question to which you do not know the answer, you can turn this question to the audience itself. This will be sincere and honest on your part. And in a speech, the main thing is the speaker's trust in the audience.

Speaker inexperience. This can only be corrected by systematically speaking to different audiences and on different topics. Practice is the most effective way. To get rid of fear, you need to constantly overcome it.

How to deal with pre-speech anxiety

I will present the facts in order of importance.

First, you already know that anxiety and fear are normal things that help you to be collected. Never take any anti-anxiety medication to quell your fear because you won't be able to achieve your performance goals! Then there will be no emotional charge of the required power.

Secondly, you must have a clear goal of the speech, which you disclose in subparagraphs (tasks). Prepare a speech plan in advance from several points, for example:

• What is it (what is it about).
• The reasons for this phenomenon (why it happens).
• What needs to be done to make it better.

Here much depends on the subject matter under consideration.

Thirdly, you need to prepare for the performance as far in advance as possible. Do not invent anything artificial, take the facts from life! Keep a short plan in mind.

The most important thing I wanted to convey to you is to admit that you are afraid of yourself! Feel the fear, and you will not notice how it disappears.

Tips and Tricks for Preparing and Performing in Public

Recognize the reasons for your fear. There may be many. Try the following exercise: remember your previous performance, focus on sounds, details, feel the changes in your body. Think about who and what your excitement is connected with: with yourself or with the audience. Then build the work in those areas that caused you problems.

Understand that for the mistakes you make, you will not be fired from your job and not put in jail, assuming that this is the worst thing.

Plan your speech in advance, logically structured and carefully thought out. When compiling it, and this is the basis of your speech, it is necessary to analyze literary sources, select three or four of them and study them carefully. While reading it is necessary to make extracts indicating the pages. Find in the literature common provisions and what distinguishes them, mark this in the plan. Well, if this is a detailed plan.

Imagine one of the listeners, put yourself in his place and think about what he expects from your lecture, what he needs and what he will be interested in. Analyze your plan from his position: what will be incomprehensible, uninteresting, and what may not be enough.

Consider the needs of your listeners, this will help to establish a productive interaction.

It is better if the text of the speech will consist of logical flowcharts. Highlight the main thoughts in color, arrange on numbered cards of a small size.

Do not take literally the expression "to give a lecture." During the performance, eye contact must be established. This will help keep the attention of the audience, monitor the reaction to your words. Then you will be able to dwell on something in detail and get feedback.

Before the speech, try to imagine in detail your ideal speech: how you will look, what you will say, how the audience will behave. The script should be built in a positive way. Try to feel the joy and satisfaction from a job well done.

Think about what might raise questions and be of particular interest to the audience. If some terminology is used, prepare a dictionary and try to translate complex concepts into simpler language. One wise man said that "the talent of a true professional lies in the fact that he can tell simply about complex things."

Think about how you can decorate your speech with intonation. Use your strengths: erudition, sense of humor, well-read. Choose a speech style that is comfortable for the audience. The know-it-all tone can irritate listeners. During the speech, you can ask questions that will activate the attention of the listeners if they suddenly stop listening to you: “Do you agree with me?”, “Do you want to add something?”. The use of interesting examples and jokes is very effective.

Take care of your appearance. A disheveled lecturer with circles under his eyes after a sleepless night, in crumpled clothes, will only cause pity. Clothing should be comfortable, neat, preferably in a classic style. A woman's makeup should preferably be natural, soft. When choosing jewelry, consider the income level of your audience and social status.

If you still feel nervous before the performance, take a walk for 5 minutes, walk with quick steps.

During the performance, stand with your arms straight at your sides, feel how the tension “leaks” into the floor, while moving your hands.

A well-tested technique is deep breathing. After breathing for a few minutes, you will feel how your body is "ventilated" and relaxed.

The ability to logically, beautifully build performances comes with experience. Use every opportunity to participate in various activities. And your preparation, goodwill and naturalness will be the key to your successful performances.

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Methods for overcoming anxiety during a speech. Radislav Gandapas. Part 2

Video channel "USPEHTV".

90% of people who are forced to speak in public complain that fear of the audience, excitement, inability to cope with their emotions hinder them the most. Radislav Gandapas will explain the nature of anxiety before the performance, convince you that it is useful to worry - and show some techniques for overcoming anxiety.

The psychology of the scene. How to overcome stage anxiety

You will probably be surprised to learn that almost all people (at least 95%!), before going on stage, to the public, experience quite strong emotions. Moreover, “fear” and excitement that are acceptable in intensity do not spoil the performance - this is a completely adequate, natural and even useful reaction of the body to the upcoming event.

For example, the legendary musician Arthur Rubinstein was haunted by stage fright throughout his entire creative life. However, he found the strength to overcome the excitement and made a stunning impression on the audience with his virtuosity. And the world-famous British singer Adele Laurie Blue Adkins admitted that only humor and jokes help her relieve her panic fear of performing.

The anticipation of a responsible, significant moment always fills a person with certain feelings, sensations. And if they are of a positive nature and not excessively sharp, they can rather be called exciting enthusiasm. The speaker becomes more collected, more energetic, and, as a result, shows himself more successfully, brightly, at the maximum of his skills. Those who do not have this pre-stage enthusiasm, the festive excitement and some anxiety associated with it, often perform, if not "failingly", then faceless or very mediocre.

How to tell if your fear of speaking is too great

It is not at all difficult to determine that emotions are becoming uncontrollable, and stage fright is off scale, by the characteristic symptoms. A young artist, especially beginner contestants, may experience:

• headache;
• pallor of the face;
• slurred speech;
• change in facial expressions;
• trembling of the limbs;
• voice timbre fluctuation;
• increased sweating;
• tightness or muscle tension;
• palpitations up to fainting.

The presence of these main symptoms, their severity in case of excessive nervous excitability depend on the individual characteristics of the speaker.

Reasons for fear. Is it possible to overcome the excitement before performing on stage?

Excessive excitement before going on stage, fear of public and competitive performances, are due to two main reasons: external and internal. External factors include factors that influence the young performer from the outside. To the internal - certain features of his perception of the world around him and the feeling of being in it.

External causes

External causes include everything that exerts constant pressure on the consciousness and psyche of the child, taking root in his subconscious with a sense of his own inadequacy. This is usually the fault of people from the close circle of the young talent, who are great authorities for him - parents, teachers, friends. For example:

• pulling back, nitpicking, ridicule;
• frequent sharply critical remarks;
• constant expression of dissatisfaction;
• excessive severity and exactingness;
• or, on the contrary, praise and exaltation beyond the measure of his talent.

All this leads to the fact that the suggestible child, speaking on stage, will invest himself not in demonstrating his true abilities, skills and abilities, but in order to “please” his “well-wishers”, not to let down their aspirations, to prove his superiority. . Thinking and tuning in only for these goals, the young performer is unlikely to cope with his excitement and will not shine on stage. However, external causes do not have a strong effect on everyone.

Internal causes

The internal causes of fear and excessive excitement before public and competitive performances are purely individual and, at the same time, are similar to each other. They actually have the same root. This is an internal discrepancy between the individual and the surrounding society - it is perceived as something “foreign”, hostile, it needs to be “conquered”.

It is especially difficult for perfectionists - individuals striving for the ideal. In the pre-concert state, they make high demands on themselves and attach too much importance to the opinion of the audience, the jury, parents and teachers, who “invested so much in it!”. After all, a young artist has to prove his exclusivity, ideality, and if mistakes happen, he is rapidly growing persistent uncertainty about his viability.

Just as vulnerable are the over-praised, overly proud natures, who believe that being “the best” is their vocation and a matter of honor. The fear of a possible "failure" often makes them afraid of a serious stage - unwillingness to perform at competitions.

3 Essential Techniques for Reducing Anxiety in the Prep Period

In order to successfully overcome excessive excitement, get rid of the fear of a responsible concert, competitive audition or casting, young talents must understand the causes and symptoms of their manifestation, know what causes them, and how to keep them under control.

1. You need to realize that everyone is equal in front of the stage, everyone is worried, and accept the idea that “monsters” can and should be tamed, otherwise they will fundamentally interfere with the development of performing skills and a concert career. Will definitely help:

• advance and thorough preparation for the performance (it is difficult to gain self-confidence “from scratch” - without doing anything for this);
• affirmation methods (auto-training) that allow you to “agree in a good way” with your subconscious about the groundlessness of excessive anxiety;
• change in attitude to the result of the speech - recognition of one's right to make mistakes;
• practice of mental visualization of the approval of the audience in the auditorium and the atmosphere of the holiday;
• improvisation skills (the famous choreographer and teacher A. Ya. Vaganova said: “Better bad, but in your own way!”).
• experience, experience and once again the experience of speaking in public in an unusual environment and a different number of people.

1. Don't go overboard with "powerful" ways to fix stage excitement problems. Team tips: “get together”, “pull yourself together”, etc. "hard" installations often produce the opposite effect. They do not distract anxiety, but escalate it.
2. It works well to focus not on the expected result of the performance, but on its creative process. The enjoyment of his performance, in which the artist is completely immersed in the world of music or dance, captivates the viewer, leaving no one indifferent.

Tips and Exercises for Reducing Stage Anxiety

There is no single and universal recipe for all cases of stage excitement. However, it is worth listening to a number of effective tips.

• 30-40 minutes before the performance, it is advisable to do several physical exercises for different muscle groups (jump, wave your arms, stretch).
• Activate the work of the brain, for example, mathematical calculations.
• Singing mentally or aloud a pleasant, favorite melody will “clear” the voice, and chewing gum (a little and not for long!) Can relieve tension in the jaw.
• Replace the word "must" with the setting "I want!" (I want to perform for the audience in the hall).
• Remember something fun - laughter relaxes and relieves anxiety. You can, for example, mentally imagine how your teachers and jury members at one time themselves “shaked” before going on stage.
• Enter the stage with your head held high and a smile on your face. She has fantastic strength - she will certainly be answered with counter smiles, and this will give you confidence.

In any case, if something goes wrong, just keep performing again and again on different stages, with a different repertoire and with much more experience.

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You can cope with fear and self-doubt, for this there are many fairly effective techniques.

As you begin to fight your fear of public speaking, remember that there is nothing wrong with it. Many people experience the same fear, which consists of many small fears: fear of a bad performance assessment, fear of looking bad in the eyes of others, worries about the possible loss of the thread of the story, and so on. These worries are usually groundless, but they exist, and there is nothing to worry about, you just need to try to minimize them.

Don't focus on yourself

One of the effective methods to eliminate the fear of public speaking is to remove the focus of attention from one's own person. Concentrate on your audience, look at the people gathered, answer your questions: who are these people? Why are they gathered? What do they want to hear from you? What is important to them? Focus on the interests of others and you will have no time to evaluate the strength of trembling in the knees.

The fear of the public is based on the fear of being criticized. A confident person will not be afraid of the assessment of others. How to increase the firmness of the position? Let's watch the video!

Remind me of reality

Understanding your good preparedness will help you neutralize the excitement before the performance. Several times aloud or mentally repeat the following phrases: “I know everything. I prepared my report very carefully. I have no objective reason to be worried.” The content of these phrases can be changed depending on the specific situation,

settle in

To make everything successful, train, rehearse your speech in a circle of relatives and friends or in front of a mirror. If possible, get used to the place of performance a little: walk around the audience (stage, hall) in which your performance will take place, determine your trajectory of movements in advance (if necessary).

Love the audience

Inspire yourself with the idea that your listeners are exactly the same people as you, they will be happy with your success. Think of the audience as devoted fans, none of them is hostile to you. Do not wind yourself up, watch your fears-thoughts as if from the outside, try to understand where they come from. Remember that these are not your fears, they come from outside. Let them move on, leaving you alone with your positive emotions. If you become aware of your fears, they lose their power over you.

Refuse bad forecasts

Do not create negative scenarios for yourself, solve problems as they arise. Programming for negative events will bring you nothing but excitement and frustration.

control the breath

If a panic attack took possession of you right during the performance, you. Take a deep calm breath and the same exhalation, feel how the abdominal muscles tense and relax. Breathe like this throughout the performance, it will help to find peace of mind. The technique of such breathing can be rehearsed long before the speech itself.

Always remember that your excitement, like everything else in this world, is temporary and will end as soon as your performance is over.

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Public speaking is a common cause of tremors in the knees and horror. People are sure that anxiety before such a performance visits shy people. But in fact, everyone goes through such feelings. Even seasoned speakers get excited when they have a presentation with a new topic and an unfamiliar audience.

Strange as it may sound, this fear is the most popular phobia on the planet. Everyone felt anxiety when delivering a report, a toast, a speech, or even a poem at a creative evening. Depending on the audience, the importance of the event, anxiety has a different degree. At these moments, the heartbeat quickens, trembling, hoarseness occurs, the body is torn with red spots.

Causes of fear of public speaking

The reason for the fear of speaking in public is the unknown. This scares people most often, especially those who have no experience. It becomes a cause of unrest even among speakers who are wise by experience.

In addition, the basis of fear is education. Parents do not allow kids to speak loudly in public. This is argued by the fact that people are watching, it is not beautiful, etc. As a result, when the baby grows up, the adult person begins to be shy of the public.

The main thing is to understand that you are not alone, 9 out of 10 speakers face such a phobia. But the excitement visits before the very performance of all people. Those who are afraid of speeches to the point of trembling are called glossophobes.

Getting rid of fear. Main ways

The real way is practice. In order to avoid anxiety, it is necessary to constantly overcome it. Regular performances reduce this fear of the public. Take every chance to get practice.

The next step is preparation. The best method for reducing anxiety is good preparation. For a successful presentation, it is important to have a good understanding of the topic. You can rehearse the performance in advance, think about all the nuances. The stronger your confidence in knowledge, the less fear arises that you will find yourself in an absurd position.

Don't think that you have to always be perfect. Many of us are afraid of the public because of the fear of making a mistake in public. It only increases the likelihood. But mistakes do not cause a death sentence, nothing terrible will happen.

Consider the look. It is important to look good in a performance. There is a psychological moment at work here. For example, a girl has an “arrow” on her tights, she worries because of this, but at least 90% of people will not notice her, she will still worry. Such thoughts steal confidence. Think over all the nuances so that there is no discomfort.

How to get rid of the fear of speaking

So, let's figure out how you can get rid of fears specifically before the performance:

rehearse and prepare;

It is very important to scrupulously analyze the audience. Stage fright is often a combination of several. Negative influence brings fear of the unknown. To get rid of this, it is important to find out where, how and in front of which listeners you are. If possible, analyze how many people will be, their interests and views. Getting rid of fears is connected with your knowledge and awareness.

Once you know who your audience will be, start preparing hard. The report needs to be built based on the average intelligence of the listeners. You should not make complex logical chains, use narrowly focused terms, etc. Don't use words whose meaning you don't fully understand. If there is a short report to be made, the preparation cannot be ignored. The topic is important to study carefully.

After writing a speech, it is worth thinking about questions from the audience. Be sure to train in advance, imagine a state that is comfortable for you. Practice performing in front of a friend or acquaintance.

calm down;

If you do not understand how to relax and get rid of fear, then some exercises will help. Meditation is distinguished by a technique called mindful breathing. Its essence is in focusing on exhalation and inhalation. It is necessary to keep the air on the count from 1 to 5. This gives a chance to reduce tension and anxiety. Another option: tense all the muscles in your body for a couple of seconds. Then relax completely and repeat again.

find support;

If there are acquaintances or relatives among the public, then ask for support from them. Any contact will be helpful. Before the start of the speech, find your friend among the audience.

think about the non-verbal part.

It is important to assess the need for a non-verbal part of the report. It is curious that 60% of the data each person receives from this source. If the phrases sometimes give an erroneous impression, then the gestures are read by the subconscious mind correctly.

How to overcome fear while speaking

Even if you manage to completely calm yourself before a speech in public, the fear arises again when you enter the stage. There are methods that make it possible to get rid of fear directly during the performance.

A popular stress relief technique is affirmations with text that uplifts and reassures you. It is important to choose positive phrases, such as “I love everyone present, and they love me”, “Everyone is waiting for my interesting report”, “I can be a good speaker”, etc.

Another way is to accept fears. Allow yourself to worry, because you are a living person. After accepting this fact, it becomes noticeably easier. But remember that it is important to tune in to a good outcome. Don't waste your energy on negative memories.

Experts say it is important for overly worried people to publicly acknowledge their own fear. This removes responsibility if you suddenly forget information or get off topic. But often you can’t use this method, because the audience will react negatively to the statement next time. Frankness is good for the first speech. Use this method only if others do not help.

For speakers without experience, impromptu is not the best solution. Few of us have the ability to extricate ourselves from difficulties. For this reason, it is better not to put yourself in a difficult situation. If you have to give answers to questions, then it is more correct to pronounce platitudes suitable for the situation.

There are other interesting tips on how to overcome your stage fears. Imagine that the audience is not serious figures, but kittens or rabbits. Positive thoughts will bring positive thoughts. But these tips are given by experienced speakers, and they work for those who do not have panic fear.

For glossophobes, any option listed above is suitable to relieve anxiety and tension. If you do not neglect the practice, you will see progress very soon.

Experience is the main key to success in the art of public speaking. Start small - toast with friends. Then practice a loud voice in public places. This helps fight the fear of negative reactions from people. You will see that the tone will become more imposing, more patronizing.

Once you've gained some confidence, start taking action at work. Ask questions to other speakers. So you will reduce the fear of being in the center of someone else's attention and notice your craving for performance.

January 18, 2014 Speaking in front of an audience is a source of serious stress. It is normal to be worried in front of him and during a speech, it is inherent in human nature. But any fear is a lever that activates the "fight or flight" instinct. The hormonal surge makes the heart beat faster and breathing quicker, we tremble, our thoughts get confused. According to research, the fear of public speaking is the second most common after the horror that causes death. There are ways to overcome it and become a confident, calm, and persuasive speaker.

Causes and main ways to deal with anxiety

The root of the problems lies in all the same instincts. We unconsciously perceive the attention directed at ourselves as a threat, literally a weapon that stares us in the face. This creates physically unpleasant stress and perpetuates fear. At the cognitive level, we are afraid of the unknown, the attention of all those present directed at a person, negative acceptance by the audience, we are afraid of not reaching the goal. All these are absolutely normal psycho-emotional manifestations characteristic of people of all ages and professions. Learn exercises to help manage stress. They are conditionally divided into groups:

• practices for acceptance and awareness of fear;
• psychological and analytical preparation for a speech, reducing excitement;
• physical exercises aimed at reducing stress and external manifestations of fear - training of breathing, voice, gestures;
• preparation methods immediately before the performance (half an hour before it or less);
• ways to relieve anxiety while giving a speech in public.

A separate issue is stimulant drugs that allegedly help not to worry, and other means "with unproven effectiveness." If you attach importance to the psychology of color, there is nothing wrong with using red accessories and underwear - they, according to chromotherapists, fight fears. Fans of antiquity and symbolism can activate the energies of Hermes, the Greek god of eloquence, with the help of a ring on the little finger - the finger dedicated to the "guide of souls". What should be avoided is alcohol, sedatives (even valerian) - their action is not controlled and leads to sad consequences. Do not eat heavily before giving a speech, otherwise you will be drawn to sleep. Coffee should also not be abused, it causes anxiety and makes you nervous. If you want to calm down, eat 20-50 gr. chocolate or banana. The nutrients they contain reduce anxiety and stress.

Preparing for performances

The first step is acceptance of fear. It is necessary to realize that it is not a shame to feel it, it is overcome and lies only in ourselves. Learning to cope with the excitement of speaking, the speaker acquires an indispensable skill and overcomes an important stage in the development of skill. To become less constrained, to stop being nervous is not as difficult as it seems - these are just our thoughts, and they can be curbed:

• remind yourself that a little excitement before giving a speech is useful - it trains the vascular system (many even find it pleasant);
• give up the desire to be perfect and recognize the right to make mistakes;
• accept the fact that the audience will not necessarily criticize you, as you yourself do - often mistakes that we consider egregious are simply not noticed by the audience.

When preparing, pay attention to the elaboration of the text, this will reduce anxiety in front of the unknown. Make a plan, build the structure of the report, rehearse the speech in front of a mirror, record yourself on video or a voice recorder. Think about what questions the audience might ask you, find out where you will be performing. Work on three channels of perception of the speech: what the speaker says, how he does it, and what he shows non-verbally. Think over your image, prepare clothes in advance. She, as well as shoes, hair and face (make-up or grooming) must be impeccable. The image should be harmonious, even fashionable, but not excessive. Comfort is also important: when giving a speech, you don’t have to worry about chafing shoes, uncomfortable heels, or a tight jacket. On this important day, you should not plan other stressful events (a visit to the dentist or the tax inspector), but before it it is better to go for a walk and go to bed early. Psychological exercises to overcome fear:

• formulation: clearly define the source of fear and the place of its “location” in the body, the cause of anxiety;
• extraversion: setting for openness, contact with the audience;
• “the worst thing”: answer yourself what will happen if you fail, you will be publicly ridiculed - exaggerate so that you yourself will have fun (laughter is the best remedy for fear).

Physiological exercises - breath and body control

If the performance frightens you, physiological signs of excitement appear - your eyes run, your voice and hands tremble, unnecessary, chaotic gestures appear, you start talking too quietly or screaming. Increased adrenaline and increased heart rate lead to reddening of the face, dilated pupils. Signs of excitement are noticeable to the audience, she unconsciously feels them and loses her disposition towards the speaker. To cope with the physiological manifestations of stress, you need to remove muscle clamps and learn to control your muscles and ligaments. First of all, take a breath. It is directly related to our emotional state, “gives out” excitement because of the performance - it becomes intermittent, quickened, superficial. Deep breathing helps to even out the voice, remove trembling and creaking from it due to a lack of oxygen in the lungs. To fight stress helps to perform special exercises for 5-10 minutes. The classic technique is the alternation of a deep smooth inhalation and a sharp exhalation or a double inhalation / double exhalation. Useful breathing "square": for two seconds, hold the breath-pause-exhale-pause. The “ball” exercise, developed by Professor H. Herminson for the preparation of extreme sportsmen, removes fear and concentrates attention. You need to close your eyes, imagine a ping-pong ball - it rises on a slow breath from the stomach to the larynx and also smoothly falls on the exhale. Physical exercise will help you relax and calm down:

• "burning" adrenaline: squats, waved arms, push-ups;
• hormonal stabilization: small movements-blows (not strong) on ​​the sternum in the region of the thymus;
• relieving nervous tension - walk at a fast pace (enough for 10 minutes).

How to calm down before a performance

If you have a public speech, report, presentation in front of colleagues, try to be there in advance. You will assess the situation, get acquainted with a new location for you, see how the audience fills the room. This will help you calm down and shift your focus. Half an hour before going to the audience, you should drink natural citrus juice - it lowers blood pressure a little and relaxes. Meditation helps to concentrate and relieve strong excitement. An hour before or before a public speech, find a quiet place, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. Hands should be on your knees, legs should be bent. Try to remove the thought that you need to speak for 15-20 minutes from your mind. You can resort to Taoist practices - for example, the simple and useful mimic exercise "Laughing Qigong". Look in the mirror and smile at yourself for a minute, and then laugh, even if you don't feel like it at all. Laugh for about 3-5 minutes and end with a slight smile. Among the physical ways to relieve tension immediately before a public speech, the following are useful:

• warming up the shoulders and neck - slowly tilt them, rotate from side to side;
• "shaking" of arms and legs - lift each limb in turn and lower it down with a sharp movement (as if you want to get rid of drops of water on the skin);
• warming up the toes - intensively squeeze and unclench them;
• leg swings in the air (without support under the feet): if there is a horizontal bar nearby, hang on it, if not, sit on a table or window sill, hang your legs, twist them and wave back and forth a little.

You can combine physiological and psychological training using “winding” gestures. These are movements reminiscent of positive, pleasant moments, they serve as triggers and "hooks" to relieve emotional stress. Before performing, rub your palms together, stretch your arms up. You can bend them at the elbows and sharply lower them down (yes gesture). Try to hit the open palm of the other with the fist of one hand several times, attach the brushes to the chest. The so-called "corset of confidence" is useful - straighten your back, straighten your shoulders, lift your chin up and smile.

How to relieve stress during public speaking

Learn during the speech to think not about your excitement, but about the essence of the report and the goal you want to achieve. To relieve stress, you can resort to a joke (this is also useful for establishing contact with the audience). The recommendation to publicly acknowledge your fear and tell your listeners about it, as a rule, is adopted by novice speakers. Experienced speakers are reluctant to use it, preferring to master the techniques of "masks" of confidence. Reproduce with postures, facial expressions and gestures the signs inherent in calm, skillful, well-placed speakers. Even if you are very worried, keep it a secret and play with confidence. Show signs of it:

• visual - even posture, straightened shoulders, smiling face, straight, fixed gaze;
• auditory - a loud, even voice, pronunciation without hesitation, illogical pauses;
• gestures - they should be smooth, clear, not too slow or fussy (calm nervousness by holding a pencil in your hand), synchronized with speech;
• movements - they need to be streamlined, make sure that you do not “play” with your hand with hair or a microphone, do not rush around the stage.

Inconspicuous exercises help to cope with anxiety. Quickly move your toes, this will relieve muscle clamps. Press down on your earlobe several times to concentrate. If you are nervously moving, resort to a trick - drop something on the floor. As long as you hold up your pencil or booklet, you will be able to calm down. The confidence of a speaker depends, first of all, on the experience of working in front of an audience. You need to talk a lot, in front of different audiences, and inner peace will come to you. We invite you to individual and group courses at the school of Anton Dukhovsky. With Oratoris, you will learn to manage your excitement and become a persuasive and eloquent speaker.