Stage Fright

"Stage fright is good, and it makes you better looking"

Many people have the greatest fear of getting into public speaking. Speaking in front of few hundred and at times, few thousand people can be very frightening. However, most of us can pull through it easily while some of us find it really difficult. Stage fright can be very critical at times. It will discourage you from showcasing your ideas and it simply kills your focus. This often leads to speech not worth listening to. Feeling anxious is absolutely normal when it comes to your first stage show. On the other hand, stage fright is the most extreme case of anxiousness and nervousness a person feel while speaking a great number of audience and might result it feeling blank and out of ideas while speaking.

Having stage fright doesn't mean it is the end of everything! Infact, there are strategies developed to overcome stage fright. First of all, be confident. The key to a successful speech lies in your confidence. Being embarrassed of your inabilities can be a contributing factor to stage fright. Practice makes perfect. Bare this in mind always that nobody on this surface of Earth is perfect. The more you practice, the better you get. As you get better, it unleashes your confidence as well. Doing it in front of a mirror, family or friends with definitely show improvement. Also, after presenting it to them, ask for honest feedbacks and correct the parts where you think you have gone wrong.

Besides that, when presenting on stage, be focused. When you are focused, you are aware of what you are speaking. Get rid of all distractions. Looking at audience frightens you? Then, the best way to overcome this, is to not think about that. Like said above, be focused on your speech rather than thinking about what others think of you. When you are focused, it boost confidence and everyone will love to see that. It simply brings the best out of yourself.

When you feel audiences are not giving you enough attention, take it from them! Reading a touching poem or cracking a joke will be an instant alarm clock to their ears. Make sure you do it the right way, or else you might end up entertaining yourself instead of others on stage. Having the right amount of rest and water before your show can improve your performance on stage. Also, when you are feeling nervous and your legs start to shake and tremble, start walking. Don't make it too obvious but just do it lightly as it will look like a part of gesture.

Playing with gestures during speech can make it more interesting. It can be your signature look. But, do not overdo it. If so, you'll look as if you are faking it!

With these steps above, I'm pretty sure that public speaking and class presentations will just be like ABC. If it still worries you, keep doing it until you get better. One thing to be noted down is never read from any source or paper. Go with the flow and do it like "freestyle"!

Compiled by Jasneeta Kaur Bhullar