How to Prepare your Mind/Body to Give Great Speeches

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TITLE: How to Prepare your Mind/Body to Give Great Speeches
AUTHOR: Sandra Schrift
CONTACT: sandra@schrift.com
COPYRIGHT: ©2004 by Sandra Schrift. All rights reserved
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How to Prepare your Mind/Body to Give Great Speeches

Sure you have catecholamines – all speakers do. (including
Sir Winston Churchill and Presidents Kennedy, Carter, and
Reagan.) Those are the chemicals that make you sweat, make
your heart beat fast and make your hands shake. Get rid of
those chemical and psychological reactions by becoming
message-centered and audience-centered, not self-centered.

1 Replace fear and negative noise with positive
affirmations. Create new beliefs that nurture you and
support you with new ways of thinking. The New Adult You!
example: “I am well prepared, and the audience wants me to
succeed.”

2. Do a quiet meditation, visualization, or exercise before
you speak. Breathe deeply. Deep breathing sends a message to
your brain that you have nothing to fear. It calms you
down.

3 Who cares if you’re nervous? Researchers have found that
most people report noticing little or no anxiety in a
speaker. If you are thoroughly prepared, your internal
nervousness seldom shows. Prepare 150%.

4.Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Talk out loud, and walk
around while you practice. Use the same physical energy you
plan to use on the day of your presentation.

The Coach sez. . . practice in front of your mirror
.Practice in the car. If you can concentrate while driving,
you will be able to pull it from your unconscious when are
you in front of the group. Make your points sound
spontaneous and conversational.

5. Exercise is an antidote to stress. Arrive early and take
a brisk walk for at least five minutes. If it is raining or
snowing outside, you can still do some body stretches.

6. Abstain from caffeine and alcohol before you speak. You
don’t need more jitters. Always wear your favorite outfit
and use attractive colors. Women, go simple on the jewelry.
Avoid too much black and white.

7. For trembling hands, place your hands on the side of your
chair, and, count to 10 as you try to lift the seat. This is
an isometric exercise that works and nobody will notice you
doing it.

8. Don't be perfect. Give yourself permission to make
mistakes. No one is perfect in real life. Get the
butterflies in your stomach to fly in formation. That’s how
you convert your stress into speaking power!

9. Reduce your nervousness by taking several deep breaths
immediately
before you 're introduced. And for you chocoholics, eat some
chocolate to
relax your vocal chords.

11 If you experience dry mouth, chew your tongue to increase
saliva flow. Singers do this. Close your lips and bite down
on the entire surface. Always have a glass of tepid (not
cold) water nearby.

12 Focus on a friendly face in the audience. Pretend you are
having a conversation, rather than giving a speech. Just be
yourself.

13 The Coach sez. . .Most of all, enjoy yourself and have
fun. SMILE. After all, aren’t you glad to be there? The
sign of a mature adult is one who does not take himself too
seriously.

14 Here is a vocal warm-up exercise used at the Ryal Academy
of Dramatic Arts in London.
Say:PaPaPaPa, BaBaBaBa, TaTaTaTa, DaDaDaDa, KaKaKaKa,
GaGaGaGa Then do it backwards. (from Robert and Rande
Gedaliah)

Get more speaking skills at our "Summer Sizzle" webpage:
http://www.schrift.com/summer_sizzle.htm