How can I calm my nerves fast?

Answer 1

Hi there. I have developed my own (quirky?) routine prior to speaking: a few jumping jacks, jaw relaxation exercises, followed by deep, calm breaths.

Even in full business attire, I will do a few jumping jacks to dissipate (burn off) any nervous energy. I also clench and release my fists and then "flick" my fingers.

Then I do a few jaw relaxation exercises (waggle your jaw, poke out your tongue, open your mouth as wide as you can etc.) This releases any tight muscles that may lead to a "squeezed/strangled" voice.

Finally, I close my eyes and take 3-5 deep calm breaths, focusing on lowering my shoulders and releasing any trapped tension. You can also visualize yourself giving an outstanding speech.

Extra tip: if you are someone who works out, plan a good session hours beforehand. I find this helps enormously.

Answer 2

There are 10 essential steps to lose your fear of public speaking:

(1) Be prepared

(2) No one's perfect

(3) Understand where stage fright/ fear of public speaking comes from

(4) Don't take it personally - no hard feelings

(5) There is no such thing as a bad audience, just bad presenters

(6) People make assumptions based on what they see

(7) Rehearse and practice in a "safe" environment

(8) Avoid information overload

(9) Be positive

(10) Trust yourself and be in control

Unfortunately, WyzAnt does not allow enough character for me to elaborate on each point.