Public speaking is a skill that takes practice like anything else. I recall giving my first speech presentation at uni and I had to physically reach down and stop my knee from shaking. A year latter I was giving public tours to groups of 25 people at a local museum. Speaking got easy.
The better prepared you are the better you will feel. You also want to realize you really don't matter that much. If you give a good presentation - thats nice. If you don't - well then nobody really cares. Everyone has been nervous about something and understands. If there are jerks in a crowd well you'll see they are jerks. That doesn't happen too often though.
Unfortunately we often grow up making ourselves "small" and others "big". Speaking before them can seem like going before a judge and getting momentous decision when its all actually pretty minor. If you speak with enough confidence the audience will be nervous wondering if they are understanding you like they should or if they are dumb. If you forget all your words and wet your pants and collapse crying on the ground - the people seeing it won't care 10 minutes latter. They are mostly just insecure meatbags as well.
Just do your reading/reciting and stay in the moment. Dont start analyzing and wondering what audience thinks - thats for latter. Just focus on your bit and keep things nice and easy. If you forget something or get tongue tied dont panic. If you look like you having a laugh over any mistake the audience will have fun with you and all will be well.
I don't get stage fright when it comes to singing dancing or acting, even though I am incredibly shy in real life, with performing its like I'm a different person. To get up and just speak though, I would be terrible! I guess maybe just look at one person when you're speaking, preferably someone you know, and pretend you're only speaking to them. Oh, good luck!
I was going to say maybe close your eyes but then if you dont know the poetry off by heart you cant see it. Think if i had to do it id face the opposite way or ask the audience if they could possibly listen from outside or another room.
unless you want to get intoxicated before you perform (which I wouldn't recommend) then the only thing I can say is practice and experience makes it easier.
I had to do a number of presentations in front of the class or others for uni. The first one I did I was sweating and shaking, messing my words up and I did terribly. You just end up getting used to it. The last presentation I did was infront of about 40 ymca residents i'd never met before and I actually enjoyed it.
First step is the hardest but just remind yourself it will never be that tough again.
I'm an extremely shy person when it comes to speaking in public, if I can get some sort of confidence doing it, i'm sure 99% of people can.
Good luck :)
As others have Said, It is a matter of practice.when im at camp i Talk a Lot in front of 100+ People. I was nervous when i had to at First.
A Lot of People Start to speak Rally fast and quiet wen they Are nervus, so i always Try to speak loud and clear.
A good friend told me a few years ago to pretend that i speak with dumb People, but i guess that would be a Bit too slow.
You survived the abuse.
You're gonna survive the recovery.
Never make true eye contact lol ok you can if you like but personally I look at the back of the room just above their heads. Plus what jack says is true 10 minutes later no on will remember if you forgot a word or whatever x
Maybe try practising it on people you know, it will get you used to speaking in front of people and also if they're true friends they'll tell you if you're doing something wrong so that you can fix it before you go in front of the proper audience so you can go up there knowing you aren't making a fool out of yourself.
'Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you.'
['There is only one thing we say to death. Not today'.']
'We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell. Oscar Wilde
Its hard to dance with the devil on your back. Sydney Carter
It is a skill but once you master it your confidence will grow exponentionally.
I guess one thing to think about is what is it that scares you?
If you can work it out and analyse it then you can kind of try and confront it
When we lose twenty pounds... we may be losing the twenty best pounds we have! We may be losing the pounds that contain our genius, our humanity, our love and honesty. ~Woody Allen
Is a chocolate muffin loving glitter ball
practice practice practice and more practice. even when you feel uncomfortable. feeling uncomfortable is to be expected, go towards it, not away. seek out the discomfort until you can't find it anymore
this is my magical medicine cabinet. Left to right they contain: courage, hope, calmness, and strength.
The magical part: They NEVER run out, so borrow some any time you want.
