I had an incident where i confronted one of the most useless fears of mine : Fear Of Speaking in publicin public. A few days ago, I found myself at an event related to my work,( that’s why i was not able to publish anything pardon me for that by the way😅 ). I am a self-professed introvert and i barely go to any public gathering.
However, this particular event held great importance for me, and also i decided to challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone and enjoy this privilege of being independent. So, i went there on 10 December .When i went inside the hall where our workshop was scheduled there were only boys there and whole hall was empty , even i felt the whole building is empty i felt scared at that time.
Despite a moment of trepidation, I chuckled at my own irrational thoughts… i remember when i passed by them my legs were shaking a little bit or may be just i felt that … then i sat to the couch front of theirs and i thought : Did they look at me ? No!. Does they know i am first time in my life sitting with boys alone? No! .Did they resemble kidnappers or anything of the sort? Absolutely Not!. In that moment, I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of my own concerns😂, these thoughts were as useless as our society’s beauty standards and suddenly, a wave of relaxation washed over me.
But the story doesn’t end here. I sat there for about 15 minutes, almost relaxed. Then, a boy came and directed us to the actual room dedicated to today’s workshop. So, we went there, took our seats, and attendees started coming in. Then, I needed to go to the restroom, but I couldn’t.
It felt like the most difficult thing to do. I was thinking and trying to prepare myself, looking for someone I could ask for the restroom. I was rehearsing the sentences I was supposed to utter, but, no! I was unable to gather the courage to ask someone a simple question: “Excuse me, where is the restroom?” But, oh my God! I was not able to do such a simple thing. A lot of you can relate what i fears i was feeling. How would i speak? What would i say? How will i sound like? Everybody would stare at me?.
Then i texted my best friend and told her my Problem(Useless Fears, fear to talk in public) 😅. She laughed first, then asked what is in my mind? I told everything and suddenly i got surprised that how childish i am sounding right now. I got a little embarrassed first then i laughed too. She cheered me and told me to do, what i was telling myself from half an hour. Then i stood up looked for a person who looks familiar to this place and asked him: “Excuse me! can you please tell me where is the restroom?” and he said: “Sure! its on the left straight on that lobby.”
Yes! that was this easy. I felt like writing a book on this as my success story..😂😂😂
After this all attendees came, management came and they divided us in groups for discussions. There were all men in the hall and only two girls, but when first i became able to overcome my fear i was relaxed an confident. That day and other following days went great.
My Tips To Manage These Useless Fears _ Fear Of Speaking in public
Here are my few tips if you are going to talk in public for a presentation, speech or group discussion :
Preparation is key: Prepare your content well. Knowing your content inside out will boost your confidence.
Practice, practice, practice: Practice your speech in front of a mirror or record yourself. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become.
Start small: Start by talking to a trusted friend or family member. Gradually increase the audience size as you gain confidence.
Visualize Success: Visualize yourself giving a successful speech. Visualization can help reduce anxiety and increase confidence.
Focus on the message: Focus on getting your message across rather than how you are perceived. People are more interested in your content than judging you.
Deep Breathing: Do deep breathing exercises to calm the nerves. Inhale, hold and exhale slowly to relax your body.
Engage with the audience: Make eye contact, smile, and engage the audience. It helps build connections and makes the experience more enjoyable.
Accept imperfection: Understand that no one is perfect. Even experienced speakers make mistakes. Embrace any slip-ups and move on.
Join public speaking groups: Toastmasters or similar groups provide a supportive environment for practising and improving public speaking skills.
Positive Affirmations: Remind yourself of your strengths and past successes. Positive affirmations can boost your self-esteem.I hope these will help you. Stay blessed and like my friend help and cheer each other to manage their fears❤️.
