Are you afraid of public speaking?
Whether you feel mild anxiety, or full blown panic at the thought of speaking publicly, you’re definitely not alone. Numerous surveys show that over 70% of people fear public speaking and yet equally acknowledge how important a skill it can be.
I was recently invited to deliver a workshop on the benefits of Mindfulness for Public Speaking for a group of our international summer students at Liverpool International College. The session was organised by my wonderful colleagues Caroline Lewis and Dwen Hma Rashed so a huge thank you to them, and also to Leelee Yates for asking me along.
Some of the students were initially a little sceptical about these new 'mindfulness skills' I was teaching them, but the feedback on the session was overwhelmingly positive. 100% of the students surveyed found the content interesting and said that the skills they learned would be very useful for future public speaking.
We focused on a range of mindfulness techniques that can improve presentation skills: relieving stress and anxiety, improving memory recall and focus, building connection with the audience and developing a real sense of grounding and confidence.
At the end of the workshop one of the students asked me, ‘Miss, do you use these techniques?’ to which I answered, "Of course! 😊 ”. My mindfulness practice allows me to not only feel less anxious before I deliver a talk, but to truly enjoy the experience.
Which techniques do you use to feel calmer before you go 'on stage'? I’d love to hear.
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