You Can Feel Giddy, Too

What’s your initial response to having the chance to speak in front of others? Are you excited or are you full of dread?

My knee jerk reaction is fear. Full body fear. I'm one of the mind-goes-blank type. Like most of us, I am NOT some one who automatically feels I got this!

Years of practice have helped me learn how to craft just the right message and feel the giddiness of being able to connect deeply with an audience. But it's been hard won…for sure.  

What’s worse is that fear doesn’t always show up as fear. It often rears it's ugly head as anxiety. Free-floating, like a great big distraction, anxiety comes from a general lack of connectedness to ourselves and what’s going on underneath.

It's really hard to be Present, not to mention develop & deliver an inspirational talk, when we are Anxious. 

3 Strategies to Interrupt Anxiety, Overcome Fear and Deliver Your Message

1) I’d be nervous if you weren’t nervous. I’ve said those exact words to the people I've coached for over 20 years. Nerves aren't just fear. Like an athlete on game day, nerves mean you care. Your audience won't even know the degree to which you are nervous. Even if your hands shake. Let yourself be nervous. 

2) Reach Out. The more you talk to someone, the more you will feel heard, and you can rid yourself of that beast we call anxiety. Reach out to a trusted colleague or friend. Better yet, hire a Presentation + Story Coach. Get help peeling back the layers to find the deeper message inside of you. Imagine all those swirling thoughts becoming organized, coherent, and powerful. Why go at it alone? 

3) Power Posing. Deep breathing, hours of practice, hiring a coach -- YES -- but for a quick fix before a presentation, Power Posing helps with finding your Presence, Period. The gift Amy Cuddy gave during her TED Talk was 'fake it till you become it.' Below is her famous TED Talk. 

Don't we all want to feel the giddiness of a job well done? Cheers to making that happen not just for yourself, but also for the people you want to reach.

You got this!

Katherine