Mayo Clinic<\/a>. The fear of getting in front of people can be petrifying, cause panic attacks and can even trigger physical symptoms like shaking hands or quivering voices. Hedenberg suffered from hives developing on her neck and face.
Hedenberg is a testament to the fact that this fear can be overcome, however. She spent many hours working on her internal self-talk and coming up with ways to work through her anxious moments, allowing her to face what was once a great fear. Today, she is able to get up in front of crowds with ease. In fact, she recently spoke in front of hundreds at The Triple Play REALTOR\u00ae Convention & Trade Expo in New Jersey.<\/p>\n\n\n\nShe believes it\u2019s important for anyone in leadership or those who head teams in real estate to ease their anxiety around public speaking.
\u201cFrom a quality-of-life perspective, you don\u2019t want to walk through life with a low-grade level of anxiety every time you have to do a presentation or talk with clients,\u201d she adds. \u201cWhen you speak confidently, the people you are speaking with are more receptive to what you are saying and take it in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Understanding the Brain\u2019s Response to Public Speaking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Marianna Swallow has been doing theater since she was five years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI love being in front of a crowd. I\u2019ve done improv and stand-up comedy,\u201d says Swallow. She is a professional speaker and conference presenter from Chicago and Charlotte, N.C. She\u2019s also the author of 21 Ways to Engage Your Audience.
She helps people uncover why they\u2019re afraid of public speaking and offers them guidance to work through their fears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are many reasons why people are afraid of it. I think many have the fear of being judged,\u201d she adds. \u201cThe center of your brain, called the lizard brain, freaks out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That \u201clizard brain\u201d or reptilian brain controls basic bodily functions and survival responses like flight-or-flight. Because this part of the brain can\u2019t tell the difference between, say, a tiger chasing a person and the stress response caused by fear of public speaking, it reacts the same way in both situations.
One must understand that the body\u2019s response does not necessarily mean you\u2019re in danger because you\u2019re about to get on stage. There are things you can do to mitigate the very real bodily response so you can get in front of the crowd and speak with confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Top Tips to Prepare for the Moment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Swallow believes in the right amount of preparation. No matter how well you know a topic, if your lizard brain signals danger, your knowledge will be replaced by a biological response to protect yourself. Preparation makes a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She suggests breaking a topic down into talking points and practicing speaking out loud, well before the event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hedenberg recommends recording yourself while you are practicing, no matter the size of the audience that you\u2019ll be speaking in front of. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen, listen to yourself on the recording. You are putting the messaging in your head,\u201d she adds. Lots of people don\u2019t like the sound of their own voices, but the practice helps train your brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both women emphasize that managing negative self-talk should become part of the planning, whether for a speaking engagement or just in daily life. It\u2019s not necessary to internalize a barrage of affirmations that might feel inaccessible. Simply replace negative self-talk with the facts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKeep saying \u2018I am prepared,\u2019\u201d Swallow says. \u201cThat goes a long way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hedenberg is intimately familiary with negative self-talk, something that caused her great anxiety in her 20s. What she found beneficial was carrying a little spiral notebook in her handbag or pocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEvery time I was thinking negatively, I would stop myself and write down those thoughts, plus add a positive remark,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An example might look like catching yourself saying something negative if you keep forgetting a line in your presentation. Rather than chastising yourself for missing the line, you could instead say something like, \u201cI\u2019m going to keep practicing and I\u2019ll get it right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you\u2019re able to recognize your thought patterns, repetition and consistency in analyzing and replacing those patterns with healthier ones helps transform them. It’s about teaching your brain to be aware of your thoughts by writing things down, not just the negative thoughts but your more loving, compassionate thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n