Exercise: Responding to Public Speaking with Calmness, not Fear

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Find a quiet place where you can ensure that you won’t be disturbed for ten to fifteen minutes. Close your eyes and direct your focus of attention to your hands, imagining what they feel like when they relax.

As the relaxation spreads, allow your mind to drift to a time where you felt really comfortable. Maybe a time such as lying in the bath or listening to music, or an evening with friends when you had a good time and were laughing and having fun.

Begin to get a feel for the reality of this time. Notice the colours, shapes and sounds even smells and tastes associated with this time. Notice what it’s like to bring back something of the feeling of that time and let those feelings begin to build up almost as if you are back there.

Once you have that feeling, imagine watching television and seeing your self on the screen, taking your time, looking cool and relaxed giving that presentation. Notice what it is about ‘the you on the screen' that lets you know you are relaxed and comfortable.

Then drift into that screen and experience what it actually feels like to be speaking in that way with similar feelings to those you had in the first memory. Spend some comfortable time doing this almost as if in a dream. When you have enjoyed this for a few minutes open your eyes feeling refreshed and alert.

Read this over a few times to make sure you have it clear in your mind. Repeat this exercise regularly and notice the differences.

Some people find this type of exercise easier than others. If this is difficult for you, consider getting the Self Confidence Trainer, which contains hypnotic inductions for rehearsing events such as public speaking.

Next, Public Speaking Mistakes

Mark Tyrrell is a therapist, trainer and author and is the co-founder of Hypnosis Downloads, the web's busiest hypnosis site where you can get a cutting-edge hypnosis session for almost any situation.

You can train with Mark Tyrrell from anywhere in the world, on our distance learning therapy courses, in topics such as Learn hypnosis online, Lift depression fast and the Fast Phobia Cure.

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