Annie asks:
Next Saturday, I have to give an important presentation and I need some ideas how I can stop my fear of public speaking. I really want to do a great job but every time I think about it I am totally freaking out inside. My voice and hands start trembling whenever I get up to speak in front of a group of people. Sometimes, my mind goes blank, when speaking in public, and I don’t want to get embarrassed. Do you have any advice for me? I only have a couple of days to get ready.
Charles says:
First of all, try not to think too much about getting nervous, your mind going blank, or being embarrassed in front of your audience. If you continue to focus on these things, your fear and anxiety will only get worse. Instead, think about how well your presentation is going to go and how much the people in the audience are going to love it.
What I do is pull out my journal and I begin writing about the presentation. Not the speech itself, but the story behind how it came to be that I was called upon to do this presentation and how excited I am to be the one chosen to deliver it. By the way, I would bet that you have been given this assignment because someone trusts and respects you enough to provide you with such a great opportunity. Write about that in your journal ( you need to have a journal, so if you don’t already have one, start one today) 
Next, describe in detail, almost like a script for a movie or play, how you see yourself and the presentation playing out. Describe how the audience will react. Will they be on the edge of their seats or will they leap out of their chairs in thunderous applause? Describe the perfect end result!
Once this is written down, you can go back and refer to it every time your fear of speaking in public pops up. Focus on what you want, not on what you don’t want. This is what helps me deal with my fear whenever it comes up.
Lastly, forget all the usual advice like imagining the audience naked. Not only is that advice unhelpful, but it will probably make you even more nervous and anxious than you are right now. Relax, have confidence in yourself, and ENJOY every minute of it. You will be great. Just be yourself.
