How do I get rid of public speaking fear?
437165
The only thing that helps is to speak without my contacts on. Sounds wierd but if everyone is blurry, is not really scary. Hope it works but i guess only if you were glasses/contacts.
1049768
1. Practice your material until it's second nature\n2. Dress in comfortable clothing\n3. Look at things that do not cause you anxiety\n4. If you make a mistake do not dwell upon it ... move on confidently\n5. Pre-live the event ... running scenarios such as you forget your lines and recover or you do a great job.  This will get you shifted and ready for any eventuality.\n6. Know that people admire your ability to speak publicly and mistakes are understood and overlooked.
178174
jus practice your speech so you know what your saying and make sure you understand it, that is the best advice to help nerves because if you do not understand what you are talking about then you are going to mess up. People say imagining the people in front of you naked is the best idea but that would just make me laugh so i suggest trying out your speech in front of friends or family first. Just don't worry to much, its only natural to be nervous. Good luck!
1142255
You can try either psychotherapy for "stage fright" or better yet, propanolol.  This medication has been known to be used for this reason.
197480
The best way to be confident about what you speak is knowledge and passion. Forget about planned speeches. Know the subject you're going to speak about, "do your homework" so to speak, and maybe make a few note cards. Find something about which you have to speak that you can feel passionate about. I used to be terribly shy as well, but after a while, it came into perspective: what does it matter how people think about your public speaking? Many of them are probably as nervous as you are. Just do it. Don't overthink it; you'll just make yourself panic.
595266
The only way to get rid of fear is to face it. Make up your mind to face them.BE BRAVE!!!!
696854
To end those phobias for good, go see a counselor. He or she, will probably refer you to a doc as well and then you'll be prescribed some medications.\nWith medication, counseling and time, I think you'll be fine.
1009785
AT ONE TIME, I HAD EXACTLY the problem you do, so you asked the right person. I have always been at ease around one or two people, and I like to interact with people, and I like to talk, but then when I got up in front of a group, I got really nervous and shy.\n\nHere's how I got over it:\n\nFirst of all, I realized that being nervous in front of a group is natural if you're not used to it. It's like swimming. If you've never been in a pool or ocean all your life, and you get pushed into deep water, you will feel scared. If you've been swimming since you were a kid, you wouldn't be scared at all.\n\nIt is an entirely different situation to talk to a group than to talk to one or two people. They are not the same task, no matter how much they look the same. More people means you don't get feedback and nods and the give-and-take you get with just one or two people. And nobody is interrupting. It's totally different, and you aren't used to it. You haven't worked your way up to it. If you spent three weeks talking regularly to three people, and then another three weeks talking to four people, and so on, you would have a chance to get used to it, and you probably wouldn't be scared when it went from 49 people to 50.\n\nSo that's the first thing: Realize there's nothing wrong with you. It is normal. You may be a little more nervous than some people, but less nervous than some other people. And even people who have been doing it for a long time often get "nervous." I'd say almost all people. In fact, a famous talk-show guy here in the U.S. named Johnny Carson, who had a show on TV before a live audience for years and years, once was having heart trouble, so a doctor was keeping track of his heart rate. Right before he went on stage to do is opening monolog, Carson's heart rate went from 80 beats per minute to 150! And this was a guy who had been doing it every day for years.\n\nThat was the second very important thing I learned: Stop calling it nervousness. Have you ever competed in sports? I used to do track and field, and before every race I got "nervous" but I never thought of it as nervousness; I called it being jacked up or amped or pumped up. I was ready to go. I expected to have butterflies in my stomach. I expected my heart to beat faster. I knew the adrenaline was helping me be my best.\n\nSo the second thing, and it made a big difference, was that I stopped trying to resist my adrenaline rushes. I stopped trying to get rid of them, and I stopped calling it nervousness. It is the same feeling you get when you are on a roller coaster and you PAY for that! Your orientation to the feeling, your interpretation of it, makes it either anxiety or excitement. So make it excitement by thinking of it in those terms. Welcome the feeling and use it.\n\nThat's the third thing I did: I USED that adrenaline rush. Here's what I did, and I think it was the most important thing I did: Since every time I thought about an upcoming speech, I got an adrenaline rush, I thought maybe I could use that as a reminder. Even the smallest passing thought would give me a rush. So every time I felt that rush, it was my cue to think about what I really wanted to happen. I wanted them to understand, I wanted them to change their lives, I wanted them to be happier, I wanted their lives to be better. I wanted to have a good time. I wanted to crack them up. I thought of as many things as I could think of about why I really WANTED to speak to those people, how important it was that they understood my message. I made each adrenaline rush a new infusion of desire.\n\nEvery time I had a little adrenaline rush, I did either that, or I would go through my outline in my head so I knew the order of my points really well. In a short talk, you will only make three or four main points, so when you get a little burst of adrenaline, say your points to yourself in order. Then you will know
662781
Hi! The most powerful weapon you have is your voice. Although you are afraid to speak up in class, I do encourage you to do so. I was the same way. I was even voted most shy in high school. However, through my service in the Air Force, they have you take "toastmasters" (or public speaking) courses. I fell in love with public speaking. I think the thing to remember is that many of your classmates will undoubtedly feel the same way you do about speaking. Go for it. But, if you choose not to, the best way to avoid being called on, is to sit up front, give the teacher great eye contact. Do not write notes, or keep your head down.  When he/she asks a question, do not avert your eyes, maintain direct eye contact, until he has called on someone (preferable not you). As an African American sister myself, let me tell you, I encourage you wholeheartedly to take a speaking course through your school. Good luck.
132359
the #1 key to making a good speech is to believe in what you are saying %100. \n\neven if you dont neccessarily agree with the topic of the speech, speaking with conviction will make your speech more effective and boost your confidence while speaking.\n\ninstead of thinking about what people will think or how well you will do, just try to speak as if your only goal is to convince one person in the room that what you are saying is true. \n\nand dont just ramble off a bunch of facts. put things into context and give examples that will relate your subject matter in many different ways. \n\ngiving a good speech is a matter of interacting with your audience, not lecturing them.
46855
practice and know what you are going to say. The more confidentand comfortable you are, the easier it is to speak in public. \n\nremember almost everybody - even the smoothest of speakers has some anxiety when talking in public - it is only natural.
409003
If there is anyone that has ever had the kind of stage fright where you stop exhaling while you are talking and have a shaky voice, oh yeah, that's me.  \n\nI had the worst kind.  It started while I was reading a bible passage at the lecturn at my church when I was 17.  My voice was shaky, my face turned red and I just kept breathing in and not exhaling at all.  I thought I would pass out.  then in college I had to take speech class to graduate (I almost didn't take the class cause I didn't want to embarrass myself again).  Well, I took the class and ended up one of the best speakers in the class and got a 4.0.  Here is what I did:\n\n1)  when you are in front of everyone pause a few second and look at your audience and wait till you feel comfortable (if you have time for this).\n\n2)  BREATHE.  This is the ultimate best advice.  If you remember to breath in and out without stopping then your shaky voice will most likely only be recognized by you and not your audience.  Even when your body shakes.  The audience won't pick up on it.  Only you will.  Most people that have stage fright think that they see what you are feeling and noticing.  But, they really don't.\n\n3)  Remember that many of the most popular speakers in the world have had the worst stage fright.\n\n4)  Be confident and proud and that will help.\n\n5)  When you initially feel nervous and get the stage fright, just breathe, remember that they don't notice your physically nerves going, and especially remember that within the first 30 seconds to a minute the stagefright completely disappears.  You will actually feel it going away (I didn't believe it until it happened to me).  Just get through that initial fright and you will be fine.\n\nOne of the most proudest things in my life was getting over stage fright.  Well, I experience it every time I have to speak in front of people but just focus on those 3 things:  audience doesn't know your shaking, breathe, and know the stagefright will go away after 30 seconds or so.  I always focus on that and I do well.\n\nGOOD LUCK AND KNOW YOUR NOT ALONE.
233244
Speak whenever you have the possibility to do so. Don't think a lot about grammar (I suppose you are non native speaker of English), say whatever comes to your mind.  I had the same problem, but with time I developed some self-confidence.Keep in mind that you are not the only one who has a fear of speaking, and it is something natural that must be done.Good luck!
679571
Start, if you can, by convincing yourself that the speech is more important to you than your self, than the possibility of some kind of humiliation from a poor performance. Convince yourself that you are going to say things that represent your best thinking and feelings. This can be done no matter what the subject is, but it may require considerable thought.  Then it will be more important to give the speech than how well or poorly you give it. After you have convinced yourself of this, so that you accept and don't fear what may happen as much as you did before, start working hard to improve how you will deliver it. Give it out loud to yourself and work on your voice until it sounds as relaxed and resonant as you can make it. Work hard on this, and even slight gains will give you more confidence. Work on phrases that come easily to you and modify the words accordingly. If you can, commit the entire thing to memory, but at least be able to get through each idea in sequence. Try to see yourself in relation to your audience. What do you want to convince them of? What information do you have that is important for them to understand? Do you want them to feel some way about what you will say?   \n\nWhat it boils down to is to have something to say that you believe in, keep a sense of making sure your message is getting across, make it as short as it can be made without losing the main points and sit down when you have made your points. If you do this preparation, you will have a reasonable chance of bringing it off quite well, and the probability of doing fairly well no matter what happens.
204399
calm down! it will be ok. i hate presenting too and i get really nervous and get the sweaty palms and everything. but i usually concentrate on what i have to say and hoping that i dont screw it up.hope i helped!
1099092
clearly, you have to speak well. No horible accents or lips or anything. Also, you cant be shy.Public speaking is not for the faint of hear.\nLastly, it helps if you a) loveable or b) hot.
540457
I am a teacher who also gets very nervous when doing a presentation or workshop in front of my peers, so try these tricks:\n\n1) Practice, practice, practice.  Rehearse in front of your family, friends, a mirror, whatever.  The more you know the material, the easier it will come.  Alot of the times you may get nervous because you are afraid you are going to screw up or look silly.  If you have what you are going to say down, that should help.  \n\n2) Before you go up, use the restroom.  On the way there, take big strides and swing your arms steadily.  Your goal here is to burn off the extra adrenaline and rthe exercise will help you relax.\n\n3) I cannot remember the proper name for this technique, but it DOES work.  Breathe in, tighten your stomach muscles, working from the top ones down to the bottom ones.  What you are doing is burning off excess adrenaline and at the same time breathing slower and deeper.  I use this one every time and it works great.  Once you have finished with the bottom muscles, exhale and repeat.\n\n4)  Relax...Breathe in slowly, hold your breath for 4 to 5 seconds, then slowly exhale.\n\n5)  Remember... that nobody sitting there is judging you.  They all understand how nerve racking it can be to speak in public.  They want you to succeed.\n\n6)  Pick one friendly, smiling face in the crowd and focus on that one person.  This doesn't mean that you don't scan the room and present to the class, but always return your focus to that one person and you will be ok.\n\nHope this helps!\n\n"There are two types of speakers: those that are nervous and those that are liars". - Mark Twain