[MissInformation]

Practicing your speech out loud, many times, can help. Memorizing your speech is usually a good thing, as long as you don't sound like you are reciting it. Normally when you get nervous, you get an adrenalin rush; you can use this energy in your speech. If you make a mistake, just keep going, don't stop and correct yourself. Have confidence in yourself, and if you don't, learn how to act like you have confidence. And if worse comes to worse, one of the oldest tricks in the books is to imagine everyone in the audience is in their underwear (they swear this is supposed to make you more relaxed). Another trick they say is to single out one person in the audience and aim the speech toward them (though I always thought this might make that person in the audience feel a bit odd).

I wish I could guarantee it will get easier for you the more you do it. I'm actually pretty good at public speaking (lots of practice, not always by my own choice) but I get super nervous. I've learned to use that nervous energy to enhance what I am speaking about (I have more experience with doing readings than actually speeches) but once I've finished and moved out of the "spotlight" I get all jittery and hyper and often I get a strong urge to flee! And that's when taking deep breaths helps me...

Heidi