Addressing the crowd is intimidating, especially for the youth who will be making their presentation debut. The lights will be shining bright on them, the crowd will be there to observe them perform, and the fear of forgetting what to say are some of the elements that contribute to stage fear. But by ensuring that the right strategies are put in place, overcoming stage fear is easy. Here are the helpful tricks that will assist the youth overcome stage fear while making interesting presentations:
Preparation is the key if you want to speak before crowds confidently. You have to know your subject. Prepare yourself on your topic. You have to know your topic inside out. The more you know your topic, the more confident you feel.
Some good tips that may assist teenage presenters to overcome their fear of speaking and make their speeches more interesting are as follows:
1. Prepare Through
Preparation is the secret to being self-assured while public speaking. Ensure that you are well-versed in the subject that you will be talking about. Look into the topic, prepare your ideas, and practice your speech repeatedly. The better you are prepared regarding your topic, the less nervous you will be.
2. Repeating
Rehearsing your speech as you give it is a way to make you comfortable with the speech as you give it. You can practice this by either giving your speech in front of a mirror, taping a video of yourself as you give your speech, and/or giving it to either a friend and/or a member of your family.
3. Imagine Achievement
Positive visualization techniques can be helpful. Imagine yourself delivering presentations with confidence and touching the hearts of your audience to receive thunderous applause. Visualizing the scene can overcome your fears related to it.
4. Practice Deep Breathing
You should also practice deep breathing techniques to calm yourself before, and even during, your speech time. Breathe in deeply through your nose, holding the breath for a short time, and then breathe out slowly through your mouth.
5. Start with smaller Groups
what you can do instead is to, if you have a problem with public speaking in front of a crowd of people, practice this skill of public speaking in smaller groups that you have a relationship with. You can practice this skill in front of either your peers, friends, and/or relatives.
6. Concentrate on the Message
This can help you move your focus from yourself to the value of the communication you are about to make. Your audience appears there not to evaluate you but to gain from you. Focusing on communicating your message successfully may help you feel less nervous about your stage presence.
7. Interact with the Audience
This not only makes the entire process a more enjoyable task for you but also makes the process less nerve-wracking for you too. This can be done by smiling at the audience, contacting them with your eyes, and even questioning them with the goal of getting connected with them. This makes the audience give you a positive response, thus boosting your confidence.
8. Learn from Your Mistakes
"Perfect is the enemy of good." Everyone makes mistakes in the process of learning something. "If you stumble, just pause, take a breath, and then go on." Your audience will be very understanding and even appreciate the fact you're you.
9. Feedback
After presenting a speech or talk, you should look for some constructive feedback. This can help you develop your own skills and become a better public speaker too. Acknowledge your own success and also improve your skills.
10. Acknowledge Advantage
Overcoming stage fright also takes time and even practice. Every victory should be celebrated, no matter how small. Whether you're participating in a group discussion or even delivering a complete speech, every victory is a success for you.
Conclusion
First of Feeling stage fear is also very common, but it need not prove to be a hindrance. However, it is always good to remember that all the greatest speakers have begun from the same point as you, and the starting point of your journey is the courage to make the very first move.
