Emotional Mastery: The Keys to Confident Public Speaking

Mastering Emotions for Public Speaking

Picture this: You're standing on stage, about to give a speech, and suddenly your palms start sweating like you're auditioning for a wet t-shirt contest. Yep, that's the infamous fight or flight response kicking in! But fear not, my fellow speakers and leaders!! We shall conquer this rollercoaster of emotions together.

First stop on our journey: Deep Breath Mountain! 

Take a deep breath in through your nose, and out through your mouth, like you're blowing out candles on a cake that says, "Goodbye, Anxiety!" Trust me, it works wonders. This achieves 2 goals:

1. Life (we all must breathe), and  

2. Sending signals to your brain that everything is okay, and there is NO danger.

This intentional act of breathing consciously eliminates the automatic fear response, and allows you to think about thoughts that drive you to feel excited, rather than nervous.

Imagery: The next best thing to practice! 

Close your eyes and imagine yourself delivering a speech so epic, it rivals Gandalf's "You shall not pass!" chant. Picture yourself commanding the stage with confidence, captivating the audience with your charm (or memes, whatever floats your boat), and basking in the thunderous applause. You're practically a rockstar!

Confidence: The choice that changes the game 

Remember, confidence isn't about strutting around like a peacock on steroids. It's about knowing your stuff, embracing your quirks, and believing in your ability to rock that stage. Confidence is only a decision away. You get to choose how you show up. So, chin up, chest out, and let's strut our stuff like the most confident silverback gorilla in a jungle of spider monkeys! You’ve got this!

Next stop: Practice! Again! and Again! 

Grab your trusty sidekick, whether it's your reflection in the mirror or your pet goldfish (they're great listeners, I promise), and rehearse your speech until it's smoother than a buttered-up slip 'n slide on the living room carpet. Practice makes perfect, or at least makes you less likely to trip over your words and faceplant into the podium.

There is no way around practice. If you want to make a good impression, you must know what you are talking about, and have rehearsed it a time or 2 if not 20. The more times you practice, the more comfortable you become with the material and your own voice. You start to notice where to add in some humor, or what needs to be reworded for your natural verbal flow.

Write it. Read it. Rehearse it. Execute!

Self-care Sanctuary 

Treat yourself to some R&R (that's Rest and Relaxation, not Rum and Raisins, although both are equally delightful). Get enough sleep, eat your veggies, drink lots of water, and indulge in activities that make your soul sing, whether it's salsa dancing or binge-watching cat videos.

Brain breaks are necessary. This allows your mind to relax, and reboot. Think of it like going to the gym and lifting weights. Let’s say you do 30 curls broken up into 3 sets of 10. The space in between sets is where your muscles get to relax, regroup, and get ready for the next set. Your brain works the same. It needs to rest between sets.

Practice. Relax. Practice. Play. Practice. Sleep. Wake up. Practice. Relax. Breathe. Execute.

Does your Self-Talk sound like the inner monologue of a chaotic squirrel on a caffeine high. 

Banish those negative thoughts to the abyss and replace them with positive affirmations. You're not just giving a speech; you're delivering a masterpiece that'll leave jaws on the floor and hearts aflutter. Own it like a boss!

You know your stuff. You know your audience. You know what they came to hear from you. They don’t know what they are going to get. Here is the advantage, YOU DO. You know what they are getting. You wrote it. You read it. You are going to go out there and give them the best version of yourself available in that moment.

Write out 3 phrases that you can say to yourself to give you confidence and put them on a notecard. When you notice your self-talk starting to say mean or unhelpful stuff, pull out that small note card and read those 3 phrases.

Close your eyes. Internalize them. Get out there and give them what they came for!

Do Your Best! – Not your bosses, coaches, spouses, or friend’s best. Yours! 

Perfection is overrated, my friends. Instead of aiming for flawless execution, strive to be the best darn version of yourself. Embrace imperfections, learn from mistakes, and remember that even Beyoncé has off days (probably). So go out there, give it your all, and leave 'em wanting more!

Dear friends, mastering emotions for public speaking is a wild ride filled with twists, turns, and the occasional facepalm. But fear not! Now armed with deep breathing, vivid imagery, unshakable confidence, diligent practice, self-care rituals, positive self-talk, and a dash of humor, you'll conquer that stage like a fearless warrior. So buckle up, enjoy the ride, and let your inner rockstar shine!

You've got everything you need inside you, right now!