Win at Speaking
Once I took part in a speech contest at my public speaking club. I won which meant I took part in the next level with people who had also won their club contests and in front of a lot of people I had never met before.
The room was filled to capacity. It was very unusual for this to happen even at one of our usual meetings. That evening, we had to find extra chairs and there were people standing. I asked myself the question “why are there so many people here?”
You know, most people’s fear of speaking in front of others comes down to a fear of being judged. The thought entered my mind though that people were there to watch because they were interested and wanted to hear what the speakers had to say. This puts a whole different spin on it.
Afterwards, I reflected on the night, how much more confidently I speak now and how I am willing to take risks with my speaking. I actually now enjoy speaking in public. For me, it is an act of creativity; writing the speech, deciding how to express an idea, how I am going to say it, how I am going to keep my audience’s attention.
When I think about my ability to speak more confidently, I am aware that it comes down to clearing some very old fear in my life. We store these things in the tissues of our bodies so when you clear a fear or belief that is holding you back, you not only notice a change in your thought processes, but also a relaxation in your body. Inevitably, you feel more “at home” in your body and therefore more relaxed in the way you stand and how you move, as well as how you think.
Many people’s fear of public speaking can be traced back to a particular embarrassing or humiliating event in their lives. If this is the case, resolving the “unfinished business” around that event can lead to a much greater comfort when speaking in public.
Because I no longer fear being judged, I have been able to let my true speaking style emerge. Being authentic feels good. It has also led to me expressing myself through storytelling and I once did a whole 1 hour “show” telling tales from Norse mythology for a central London library.
There is something exhilarating about feeling more relaxed and confident when speaking. Why continue to feel that speaking in front of others is some kind of punishment when you can allow your creativity and true self to shine through?
What would getting rid of this particular fear do for you?
Fear of public speaking can often be cleared up very quickly with hypnotherapy. For many people, freedom from this fear is incomparable.