English

Good morning everyone. Did you know that in a lot of surveys the worst phobia for many people is public speaking? Not spiders or rats, or heights, but having to face the audience and talk to them. How do people react when put in a situation? Well, there are a number of things that happen to our bodies when we are put in stressful situations. And making a speech is no different. Basically, your body goes into the classic fight or flight response. In other words, your hands may sweat and your mouth may go dry, your heart may beat faster and you may start feeling sick, you may sound strained. For instance, the audience will probably notice that you are speaking fast and that your voice is weak with a higher pitch than normal. You will want to rush to the end of the talk and may even ignore the audience. There`s a strong feeling of wanting to run away. But making a speech to a group of people is, in fact, a great opportunity to impress them and really show what you can do. So why does so many people have a phobuia about it Well, there are several reasons. Firstly, people feel they`ll make mistakes and lose their way. Secondly, the speaker may feel that the audience won`t like them personally. And finally, they may worry that the audience will not like or really understand what they`re trying to say. All af these fears create a sense of looking a fool and fun to other people, which is a main reason for all our worries and fears. No one wants to look a fool. Now this response is more than just nerves. Well, that`s normal and it would be strange not to feel nervous. Nerves will keep you alert and stop you feeling too relaxed. If controlled well, nerves can make a difference between an average speech and one that keeps people listening and wanting to hear more.

So, how can we control our nerves and become more confident about making a speech Well, the most important thing is to get your nerves to work for you rather than against you. I intend to discuss a number of thing you can do to help. And first af all. I can say that rehearsal is essential. Nerves are caused by fear and being unfamiliar with things, so take time to practise your speech and you`ll feel comfortable with what you`re going to say. Secondly, ot`s a good idea to know your introduction by heart. You`ll feel most nervous at the beginning and may stumble of the words. If you learn the beginning, it will become second nature and help you get into the main part of the speech more comfortable. Another good thing to do is begin with some kind of interest talk such as an anecdote or diagram or photo. Now this would engage the audience and help you get over the beginning of the speech. Take some deep breaths before you start, this will help control ypur nerves. Breathe in slowly, count to three and then breathe out slowly. Finally, remember you will always be more nervous than you look. You can trick your mind in a few simple ways to help you. Try and look confident and you`ll become more confident, stand in a relaxed way, hold your head up and smile, look happy and enthusiastic even if you`re not. One other thing is to focus on something other than yourself. Pay attention to the environment you`re in to distract yourself. Notice the audience. For example, how they`re dressed, who`s wearing glasses, who`s the most attractive. All of this will help to trick your mind into not noticing the situation you`re in. The less you concentrate on how you`re feeling, the more confident you`ll become. You should use plenty of eye contact. Change the pace of your delivery, change the volume of your voice and, perhaps, move around a bit. Don`t worry too much about mistakes. A few mistakes are all right. They show the audience you`re a human. A one way you can really engage with your audience is humour. Tell a joke. If you aren`t good at jokes, then tell a story or draw on your personal experience to connect with your audience. But the main rule about public speaking is that there are no rules. This seems a trange thing to say, but it`s true. Everyone is an individual and so you have to find what works for you in terms of delivering a speech. The most important thing is to control your nerves, build your confidence and learn to enjoy it.