We’ve all been there. You’re about to give a presentation and you feel your heart racing, your palms sweating, and your stomach churning.
hello butterflies, my old friends! 🦋
You might think that the best way to deal with this anxiety is to get rid of it. To calm yourself down, to breathe deeply, to tell yourself it’s not a big deal.
But what if I told you that your anxiety is actually a good thing? That it’s a sign that you care about your topic and your audience? That it’s a source of energy and motivation?
That’s right. Your nervousness is not your enemy. It’s your ally. It’s there to help you perform better, not worse.
So instead of trying to overcome it or beat it into submission, why not embrace it? Why not say hello to it and thank it for showing up?
Try this: Next time you feel anxious before a presentation, say something like this:
“Well, hello there, my old friend anxiety. What are you here to teach me today?”
Maybe it’s there to remind you to do more research on your topic.
Maybe it’s there to encourage you to practice more. Maybe it’s there to boost your enthusiasm and excitement for your audience.
Whatever it is, listen to it and learn from it. Don’t let it scare you or stop you.
Befriend your butterflies so that they work FOR you, not against you!
Laura Bergells teaches public speaking and business communication classes and workshops. You can also book a private, one-one-one Zoom consultation with here: Hire Laura.
Take Laura’s communications and public speaking classes at LinkedIn Learning. – Free to LinkedIn Premium Members!