Communication Anxiety: Body Basics to Help You

Public speaking is ranked as the number one fear of the majority of people. In fact, the fear of getting up in front of a group ranks much higher than the fear of death for most. In perspective, this means that at a funeral most people would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy. Our fear of public speaking takes on a new perspective when we look at it this way, doesn't it? Would

You really rather be dead?

If the thought of giving a presentation makes you want to answer yes to that question and crawl inside the casket, you are not alone. You have communication anxiety. The good news is this – communication anxiety or a fear of public speaking can be managed and is not at all a completely bad thing.

What if you could relieve all of your communication anxiety and stand up in front of a group with confidence and no fear. Would you be a better speaker than you are today? Not likely. If you had no anxiety whatsoever it would mean that you simply did not care about how you were perceived or whether your message was communicated.

If you did not care, would you prepare? The adrenaline that you get from being a bit anxious helps you to perform. So, some anxiety is actually a good thing!

It is when communication anxiety cripples us that we need to find effective strategies to manage it. Even if your anxiety is not crippling, you too can benefit from employing these methods.

Here are some body basics...

• Breathe! It is true that often the most anxious speakers forget to breathe when they start a presentation - this can add to your anxiety.
• Avoid caffeine and be sure to eat. Excessive caffeine can cause panic attacks and failure to eat can cause low blood sugar, neither of which are good for you or your presentation.
• Know how you react to stress. If you are a "pen clicker" when you are nervous - leave the pen at home.
• Dress in something appropriate and something you feel good in. We all have our favorite clothes and then there are those that we wear just because we bought them. Think of how you feel when you are in your favorites - don't you think this will help you to speak with confidence?
• Make eye contact and smile. When you smile, others smile back. This can be a great confidence booster when you are feeling a bit nervous.

In Summary

Controlling your body is a great start to defeating high communication anxiety. Take some of these tips and in force them into your routine before talking in front of a crowd. If you need more advice and want to fight your anxiety Go Here for more information Right Now. You’ll make yourself and a lot of people proud.