Get Over Your Fear of Public Speaking
By Cathy Sobocan, M.A. It takes time and practice to get over a fear of any kind, so let’s begin with a simple strategy you can use to get over your fear of public speaking. I practiced this during my career as a radio announcer. Once a month I would meet with my news director for an “air-check.” An air-check …
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Speaking at TEDx
By Cathy Sobocan, M.A. Can you finish this sentence? My “Idea Worth Spreading” is …
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How to Negotiate
If you’re about to ask your boss for a raise, take part in a bidding war for a house, or work through the terms of a contract; you are heading into a negotiation. It you take the time to learn how to negotiate, you’ll gain a very useful communication skill. In short a negotiation is a method by which people …
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Breathing and Fear of Public Speaking
It’s very common to experience fear of public speaking. But imagine it as a temporary, manageable, treatable illness. It’s important to understand that fear of public speaking manifests itself in the body as much as it does in the mind. Therefore to combat the fear, it’s important to know about breathing and fear of public speaking. When we experience fear …
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Should You Move Around While Speaking?
Should you move around while speaking? This question come up often. One of the most important things you should feel while speaking, is both feet on the ground. When you can feel your feet on the ground, your body and breath will relax downward. Feeling both feet on the ground will help your whole body remain balanced. Your feet are …
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What do I do with my arms while speaking?
One of the most common questions I’m asked is, “What do I do with my arms while speaking?” Here’s the short answer… When our head and are heart are truly connected with the words we’re saying, the appendages will follow. If you feel awkward while speaking and your arms are just hanging by your sides, then you need to focus …
Read MoreHow to Combat Stage Fright
It’s possible that you might be feeling fear or nervousness ahead of your performance. Those feelings are normal. Here are some tips to help you combat stage fright: You have been chosen to perform because you are unique! No one else can offer what you can offer. Believe that your story or message or performance is more important than your …
Read MorePublic Speaking Tips (From Bill Clinton)
Bill Clinton is often referred to as one of the best public speakers of modern time.He has the ability to charm the audience into joining him in his point of view. There are two components to his greatness as a communicator. We can garner many public speaking tips by watching him. WHAT he says: He builds his speech around one …
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Public Speaking Tip: It’s all in your feet!
How many bones do we have in our feet? a) 20 b) 12 c) 26 d) 17 Here’s the answer: “There are 26 bones in our feet. That’s 25 percent of the bones in your body! Your feet are the base of support for the rest of your body. Therefore, if out of alignment, can cause improper balance and alignment …
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How to act natural on stage
I recently conducted a workshop in Toronto on how to be fully present with an audience. After going through a series of progressive exercises on the energy of presence, body language and voice, each of the participants had to get up and give a short talk. One of the participants looked down at the ground part way through hers. I …
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