“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience
in which you really stop to look fear in the face…”
– Eleanor Roosevelt
Do you get nervous before a speech or presentation?
If your answer is yes, then congratulations, you are human!
Even the most experienced presenters and performers get nervous. For example, Barbra Streisand avoided live performances for nearly 3 decades because of stage fright.
Why are we nervous before a presentation?
The 3 most common responses from my workshop participants are –
• Fear of being judged
• Fear of forgetting their lines, and
• Fear of embarrassment
These fears are amplified if there are people in their audience who they consider their “superiors,” such as their boss, executives of their company or important clients.
Do any of these fears sound familiar to you? How do you cope with nerves that stem from such fears?
There are 4 specific techniques that work for me. I will outline the first technique below and the subsequent techniques in a future newsletter to give you a chance to practice them one at a time.
# 1 – Deep Breathing
When we get nervous, we have a tendency to breathe shallowly. We take quick, short breaths with the upper-chest only. Shallow rapid breathing restricts our oxygen intake. Breathing too fast can cause hyperventilation. It is important to learn to breathe deeply so that you fill your entire lungs.
Maximizing your oxygen intake helps to relax the body. I call this deep breathing technique ‘Belly Breathing.’ The formal term is Diaphragmatic Breathing, where you use your diaphragm muscle (a strong dome shaped muscle located under the ribs and above the stomach) to control your breath.
With regular practice, you will be more aware of the way you breathe and be able to incorporate Deep Breathing to help you relax before and during a presentation.
Here is how it works –
a) Sit comfortably, in an upright position, with your shoulders, head and neck relaxed.
b) Take a long deep breath without moving your shoulders up, and allow your belly to expand (I find that inhaling through my nose works best). If it helps, visualize your tummy expanding like a party balloon as it inflates. You can even place one hand on your belly to feel it rise as you inhale.
c) When your tummy is inflated to the fullest, hold your breath for about 3 seconds, then exhale gently and effortlessly, again without moving your shoulders (I find that exhaling through my nose works best, but you can also exhale through pursed lips) Feel your body relax with each in and out breath. Repeat this several times and you will find yourself significantly calmed.
The best time to practice “Belly Breathing” are on days when you do not have a presentation. Practice as often as possible. I practice belly breathing at least twice a day for 5-10 minutes as a part of my daily routine. If you have not tried belly breathing before, you can begin with 1-2 minutes per session and gradually build up to 5-10 minutes.
Once you get the hang of it, it becomes easier to replicate when you need it the most i.e. just before a presentation.
Mary Cheyne
2009 World Championship of Public Speaking 1st Runner-up