Does the thought of speaking in public leave you with butterflies in your stomach and your legs feeling like jelly? Would you rather stay in a job you hate than risk an interview that will render you tunge tied and shaken? Imagine if, instead of feeling terror, you could learn to enjoy speaking in public and even look forward to it, writing your own speeches and presentations and most importantly, getting your thoughts across in a calm, assertive and impressive manner.
Shyness and fear of public speaking are very common. Fear of public speaking appears in every list of the top ten most common phobias. It is also known as stage fright or performance anxiety. The first mistake people make is to believe that public speaking, or meeting new people, is itself stressful – but that really can’t be the case – if it were, then absolutely everyone would have this fear, with no exceptions. But many people don’t, so it must mean that something else is going on.
The most likely explanation is that it’s the way that you think about public speaking, job interviews or meeting new people – what you tell yourself about it – which makes it seem stressful. So what is it that you are thinking when you feel anxious about speaking in public or meeting someone new?
For most people it is not really a fear of speaking in public or meeting strangers itself, but more accurately a fear of making a mistake, fear of your audience being as critical of your performance as you are, fear of doing something embarrassing, forgetting what to say, fear of being judged, fear of being asked a question you cannot answer, stuttering or stumbling over your words, fear of blushing or a fear of not being approved of or liked. With all those negative and destructive thoughts sapping your confidence, is it any wonder your mouth dries up and your mind goes blank!
Fear of public speaking is rooted in shyness and self consciousness – so that rather than just speaking normally and confidently, as you do when you are relaxed and comfortable, you are instead overly aware of what others are thinking and of how you are coming across. Even those people who don’t normally suffer with shyness or self consciousness can feel daunted at the thought of public speaking or going to an interview. Hypnotherapy, NLP and CBT give you the tools you need to remain calm, comfortable and confident in ANY situation.
“The mind is a lousy master but a wonderful servant.”
– Anonymous
Don’t allow Phobias and shyness to stop you from living your life to the full
Even people, who are otherwise calm, relaxed and in control can find it difficult to have to get up and speak to a group of people, especially on a significant occasion such as a wedding, or making a presentation to your boss. Woody Allen and Adele have both talked publically about being physically sick before going on stage. Aretha Franklin not only suffers from performance anxiety, she also has such a severe fear of flying that she refused to sing in front of the Queen, because she was too terrified to fly. Phobias really get in the way of living life! There is no need to live with a fear or phobia of speaking or performing.
The fear of public speaking is something we can all identify with, but whereas some people can use that adrenalin rush to sharpen their mind and lift their performance, for others the anxiety can rob them of their chance to shine and leave them tongue tied and terrified. The good news is that Lynn Ward Hypnotherapy can help you to conquer your fear by using the power of your own subconscious mind. You can learn how to recognise your body’s unique reaction to stress and anxiety and to develop new healthy and positive ways of thinking and feeling. Deep relaxation techniques used in hypnosis help you to focus inwards and start to build your feeling of confidence, calm and self-belief.
In hypnotherapy you may use visualisation techniques, using the power of your imagination to rehearse or practice a speech or presentation in your mind. By doing so you will have already experienced the feeling of delivering a great performance, and your mind has been pre-programmed for success rather than humiliation and fail our. With your feelings of confidence and control restored, public speaking can be approached with a new level of calmness and assurance.
Make sure your next performance is a real crowd pleaser.
Email me at lynn@lynnwardhypnotherapy.co.uk or call me on 01278-760003.