Getting started in any field of endeavour is often the most difficult part. The tips given here outline an approach to getting started in public speaking that have proved successful in developing self confidence in speaking either in public or in conversation.

Your First Appearance

Your first appearance in public need only brief. No more than a few words is all that is required, e.g. stating your name and occupation. If you are tempted to fidget or wring your hands, clasp your hands behind your back.

You can still be a hit with your audience by acknowledging the fact that you are new to public speaking. Just avoid using the clichéd “unaccustomed as I am to public speaking.” Instead say something like “This is my first appearance before an audience and I am very nervous. My name is …… and my business is ………, and some day I hope to tell you more. Then sit down.

Practice Fields

To find somewhere to practice will require a little initiative. When practicing swimming you will need to find a swimming pool and when practicing public speaking you need to find a meeting. Fortunately there are thousands of meetings held every day that will give an ambitious speaker ample opportunity to be heard. Also there are two organisations that are great places to help you to become more confident speaker. They are Toastmasters International and the Dale Carnegie Institute.

Persistence

A little and often is the key to building confidence and improving your performance. A brief speech delivered often is more effective than a longer speech given infrequently. More than any other human activity confident speaking is learned by doing and improved by practice.

Preparation

Thorough preparation is of key importance. Self confidence will develop as a result of full preparation for your speech. With a full understanding of your topic you will radiate confidence.

Overcoming Stage Fright

Unfortunately there is no silver bullet to over the normal human anxiety of nervousness before speaking. There are techniques that can help with this such as – positive mental attitude, visualising success and deep breathing etc. In the end it comes down to exercising a little courage to make the decision to start and then stepping out and doing it. Your first appearance will open a bud of confidence that with proper care and attention, you can flower into being an effective confident speaker.

It is worth noting when making your initial appearances in public – that a part time speaker that knowing their subject fully and having something worthwhile to communicate can outshine the seasoned professional from the audience’s viewpoint.

It is normal for people to be anxious before they speak. By persevering, practicing and preparing thoroughly the huge rewards of public speaking can gained, especially self confidence and recognition.

If you want to be happier and derive more from life incresing your self confidence and self esteem is the key and its easy to do with these simple tips.

What Low Self Esteem Means

Having low self esteem and lacking confidence in your ability to do the things you’ve always wanted to do can distort your views, making you think everything always seems to go right for everyone but you.

The Cure

In reality, people who appear to be high in self confidence and always seem to get what they want simply believe in themselves. Being high in self esteem opens you up to the possibility of success rather than failure.

If you are high in self esteem you understand that failing at something means just that, you have failed at one task, it does not make you a failure.

What is Self Esteem?

Self esteem refers to the way you perceive yourself and the way you think others perceive you.

If you have low self esteem then you will tend to have a low opinion of yourself, your capabilities and how people perceive you.

If you have a high sense of self esteem then you will have a positive and realistic opinion of yourself and how people perceive you. You will have a good awareness of your strengths and weaknesses.

How to recognize if you are suffering from Low Self Esteem

If you’re internal thoughts tend to begin with:

• I can’t…

• I must…

• I should…

The chances are you are suffering from low self esteem

How to Build Confidence and Self Esteem

People with a highly developed sense of self esteem have the self confidence to achieve their goals. Succeeding at the goals they set for themselves adds to the self confidence building blocks they already have in place.

Each successive achievement creates opportunities for greater success and self belief which increases their perception of self esteem.

Having a positive sense of self perception and self esteem is one of the most important factors for increasing your self confidence as if you believe you will succeed at a task then the chances are you will.

If you believe you are going to fail at a task, then you will act accordingly, and the chances are you will fail.

Tips for improving self esteem:-

• Make a list of all your strengths. Remember we are all good at something. Your list could include being a good parent, a loyal friend or a trusted employee.

• Perception creates reality so perceive yourself as someone who achieves the things you set out to do.

• Remember that success builds upon success, so set yourself small goals initially, and build on them.

• Believe in yourself. For every negative belief you hold about yourself think of four positive ones. If you can’t think of beliefs that are true at the moment then think of beliefs you would like to be true that you can work towards.

• Choose two things that you know you are good at and think of three ways you could work to improve each of these even more. By concentrating on areas that you know you are already good at will improve your confidence and be a good building block for future success.

• Even if you sometimes don’t feel like it always act in a confident manner.

• Make a list of positive affirmations that you can use to encourage yourself and raise your confidence.

• Surround yourself with positive, successful, confident people.

By practicing these tips aimed at raising your confidence and self esteem, you will begin to change the way you perceive yourself and the things you are able to achieve.

Increase Your Self Esteem & Get More From Life

As your self esteem increases you can start to think about the things you used to put yourself down for and use the same techniques to build on your confidence.

Don’ allow small setbacks to diminish your newly gained self esteem. Keep it in perspective and remember it’s just that, a small setback.