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It's not that I'm particularly bad at it, in fact people have been known to tell me I'm quite good at it. Unfortunately my body doesn't seem to know that. I get incredibly tense, heart racing, can't focus on things properly, really stressed and all the time I know I'm going to be perfectly fine but I feel like I'm about to do something hugely dangerous. It really sucks. (It's also why I understand David's anxiety issues, I don't have the same degree of anxiety as him but I sure as hell know what it feels like.)
So, of course, what am I doing tomorrow night? I'm going to be standing up in front of about 350 kids, all their teachers, most of their parents and some of their grandparents, and giving a speech.
Must remember to breathe.
Eeep.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
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8 comments:
The normal advice is to picture the audience in their underwear so that you see them as being uncomfortable as well. But given that your audience is children... I wouldn't recommend that!
Good luck, Mim! Breathing is a good thing. :)
LOL at Liz's comment.
Okay, that was very funny.
I never understood the underwear thing.
I hate speaking in public...AND I'm horrible at it!!!!
Good luck to you. I bet you'll do great. I'm sorry you have to feel so nervous though.
You'll rock Mim! I have worked as a tour-guide and a museum-guide and done hundreds of lectures the past 10 years and I clearly remember how uncomfortable I was the first many, many times. However, I found out that after the first 1-2 minutes of mumbling and clearing my throat and looking utterly confused, it just began to flow nicely and became a sucess. You can do it as well if you focus, relax and breathe. GOOD LUCK.
I think the undies thing is a way to distract the speaker. As part of my job as Liaison librarian I teach classes and twice a year there is student orientation to deal with. I was totally baptised by fire when I began because my first time speaking was to a crowd of about 200 students. (It was only a 10 min talk on library resources but I shook really badly) Thinking about it now I think most of the sport and Rec kids might as well have been in their underwear!
Oh, I'm with you. When I have to speak in public, I have an out of body experience. I'm not sure who is enunciating the words down there, but it sure as heck isn't me - I'm floating in the ether far away from it all.
So, my heart is out there in the ether saying a little prayer for you. My husband does a lot of public speaking and he says that the audience really doesn't expect that much from a speaker - just some basic info and a smile and you'll be fine.
Break a leg
Best of luck! I have the same reaction to public speaking, and have no pearls of wisdom.
May the force be with you Mim. I'll sure you'll be right.
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