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CMNS 101 Fundamentals of Communication

Public Speaking Research Guide

Video Guide

Overcoming Speech Anxiety

Here are six tips to help you overcome your nervousness when giving a speech:

  • Practice your speech: The first, and perhaps most important, is to practice. You need to know what your speech says, you need to know when to say what part of your speech, and you need to be able to start and end your speech with confidence.  
  • Breathing: This is a tip that is most helpful during the speech itself, but one of the biggest errors that inexperienced speakers make, particularly when feeling nervous, is that they forget to breathe. This makes you sound frantic, and it lowers your credibility for the audience. It is a simple fix: breathe. Take a second, take a deep breath, and keep going. [breathing tactic: box breathing (with visual aid)] Taking a short pause as a speaker may feel like a very long, uncomfortable time, but chances are the audience does not even notice a short pause to breathe properly.  
  • Know your audience: Who are you speaking to? What are they like? What do they like? There is a reason that singers will often say the city they are in during a concert – it instantly builds a connection and makes people feel more involved. Get the audience on your side and giving a speech is a piece of cake.  
  • Know your environment: Are you physically prepared? Do you have your notes? Are you using a projector, and do you know how to use the technology? Is there a backup plan if something goes wrong? Answering these (and similar) questions can help you feel more prepared and adaptable.  
  • Turn anxiety to anticipation: It is a unique experience you are about to be in – a room full of people who are waiting to hear what you have to say. If you have prepared, this could be an exciting opportunity. If you have done the work up to this point, now you get to show people all the effort you put into this project. If you are excited about this topic, help other people be just as excited. That is why they are there in the first place.  
  • Give more speeches: You probably don’t believe it now, but giving speeches gets easier the more you do it.