7 Tips for Handling Presentation Anxiety

Photo credit: Henri Mathieu-Saint-Laurent

A couple of days ago, I received this message:

“I have a small presentation today and I am very, very nervous. If I mess up once, I get flustered and rush through the rest as fast as I can. I try to tell myself it’s gonna be over before I know it, but I’m still very nervous. Any tips to survive this?”

This is a challenge that MANY people who aren’t comfortable with public speaking struggle with, so I want to share with you the seven tips I gave him so he could feel more confident.

1. First, it’s OK have some nervousness! Even the best speakers will tell you they sometimes get the butterflies before they have to speak. It just means you really care about your presentation and want to do a good job. Nerves can also be a good thing, in that they get the adrenaline hormone going. This means you’ll feel energized for your presentation. Remember – nervousness and excitement are the same sensation in our bodies. Channel that nervousness into excitement instead.
2. What we tell ourselves matters. Instead of “I have to speak to my class today,” say “I GET to speak to my class today and share something interesting with them.” You have to reframe the negative messages you tell yourself.
3. BREATHE! What happens when we are nervous?? Our breathing gets shallower. Which causes us to become more nervous. Which causes our breathing to become more shallow. It’s a vicious cycle. A few minutes before you have to speak, inhale deep breaths; Put one hand over your chest and one hand over your stomach to feel your stomach going in as you inhale – your shoulders should not be going up and down. Shoulders moving means shallow breathing. Stomach in and out is deep breathing. Inhale and hold it for 5 seconds, and then exhale for 10 seconds. Feel your stomach going out. This belly breathing will help relax you.
4. SMILE when you first face the audience before you speak. Research shows that the upturned lips triggers a chemical reaction to our brain that releases “happy” hormones such as dopamine and serotonin. Plus, a smile relaxes the audience too and helps breaks down any defenses. So smiling is good for you and them!
5. If you mess up, congrats – it means you’re human and not a robot. If you trip over a word, just correct yourself and move on. Don’t make a big deal out of it and the audience won’t either. Sometimes, I’ll laugh at myself when I’m REALLY tripping over a word and audience members will often smile back too. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Perfection is not the goal; CONNECTION is. Connect with your audience by being human.
6. When it comes to presentation slides, don’t look at your slides most of the time. Look at your audience. Eye contact builds connection and trust. You can look over at your slides, but make sure to look at your audience members more.
7. Practice your opening so you have it down cold. When you start off strong, that confidence will carry throughout your presentation!

You CAN deliver a powerful presentation, even with some butterflies flying around.

If you’ve been struggling with public speaking for a long time and are tired of just making it through, it may be time to get a coach. A coach who specializes in transforming men and women of God from being basic public speakers to powerful presenters! I’ve worked with clients who are CEOs, entrepreneurs, ministers, doctors, and those who just want to be ready to speak confidently in any situation. If any of this sounds like you, schedule your complimentary discovery call here today.