Do you also get shy and break out in cold sweats when speaking in public? To understand this reaction, let’s start at the beginning by answering the following question: why is it so hard for us to communicate with a large group of people when we’re used to interacting every day? As you know, the brain is the most complex organ of the human body and is not yet fully explored, so many of its mechanisms remain unknown.
When we prepare to speak in public, the brain activates the amygdala, responsible for emotional responses, triggering the activation of the autonomic nervous system. This causes an increase in heart rate, breathing, and sweating. At the same time, the prefrontal cortex activates to plan the speech, but anxiety can hinder clarity of thought. Meanwhile, the anterior cingulate cortex, linked to attention and error detection, can also activate, increasing worry about making mistakes.
In short: this complex web of brain interactions, along with the release of stress hormones, contributes to the nervousness and anxiety when speaking in public, generating physiological and emotional responses that make us so nervous.
Amygdala: this brain region, associated with emotions and fear responses, activates when perceiving the situation as threatening. The amygdala triggers the "fight or flight" response, causing nervousness and anxiety.
Prefrontal cortex: the part of the brain responsible for reasoning and decision-making, such as speech planning, activates. However, when anxiety is high, it can hinder clear and logical thinking.
Autonomic nervous system: activation of the autonomic nervous system occurs, resulting in increased heart rate, breathing, and sweating. This physiological response prepares the body to face a stressful situation.
Anterior cingulate cortex: this brain area related to attention and error detection can activate, increasing worry about making mistakes or being judged negatively by the audience.
Now that you know all the nerves you feel just thinking about speaking in front of a group are the result of your neural connections and automatic cognitive patterns, we’re going to give you ten tips you can control to successfully deliver your speech. Take note!
Preparation and practice: prepare your speech or presentation in advance and practice several times in front of a mirror, friends, or family to gain confidence and fluency.
Know your audience: research your audience to tailor your speech to their interests and needs, which will help you feel more connected with them.
Breathing and relaxation: before speaking, practice deep breathing techniques to relax your body and reduce anxiety.
Start with confidence: begin your presentation with a strong introduction that gives you confidence and captures the audience’s attention.
Eye contact: establish eye contact with different people in the audience to create a closer connection and convey confidence.
Speak naturally: avoid reading yo
.jpg)