How can you build confidence for public speaking with daily habits?

Establishing and having clarity on Your Personal Brand enables you to show up as you are and be clear on who is speaking. This stops the “who do I need to be today” it stops “bending to the room” When you know your style of delivery then you can Dial it up and Down accordingly.

Find your voice. Meaning, figure out how you speak in such a way where it makes you excited. Whether you're an animated talker who likes to gesture or one who adds humor. Recognize how you communicate to others and adjust accordingly. Make it a daily habit to have a conversation and practice different forms of speaking. Make sure to take notes of your improvement

By doing it regularly! One of the things which are worth noting is that if you lack confidence you will struggle to speak in public!

Daily practice reflects the biblical principle found in 1 Corinthians 9:25, "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." Just as athletes discipline themselves daily to achieve excellence, practicing public speaking every day helps to hone and refine this crucial skill. The routine not only familiarizes you with your own voice and ideas but builds the confidence and clarity needed for effective communication.

Start by raising your hand during question time on events. Or speaking up with an idea during a meeting. Or starting conversations with strangers while waiting for a cashier or a callback. Getting comfortable in your own skin and confident engaging with the world will deliver in spades before you even hit the stage.

Yep. It’s horrible. Everyone hates doing it. But it works. Record your voice on your phone. Film yourself speaking at home. Watch or listen back and enjoy the cringe! Back hang in there. There’s so much value in getting to know how you already speak. Looking for ways to improve. And developing more compassion (and love) for who you already are and the way you do you.

I first got into public speaking as an actress at the age of 13. Believe it or not, I was discovered standing by the bumper cars during Oktoberfest in Berlin, Germany. I was very shy then but was off doing a film shortly thereafter. Shyness, feeling self-conscious, or even unprepared can impact your presentation. This is why preparation is key. Your body is your instrument as a speaker, and you'll want to become familiar with it. Same goes for your voice. The best way to fight off anxiety before you hit the camera is to do a practice run with a prerecord. At that time, you can make sure you like your look, your voice is clear, you know your topic, and you're exuding confidence. Again, only you can be YOU, so prepare and be great!

I once prepared for a key conference presentation by recording my practice sessions daily. Initially, hearing my own voice was unsettling, but as I reviewed each recording, I noticed gradual improvements. I focused on moderating my pace and using tone variations to emphasize important points. This practice not only made me more familiar with my voice but also significantly boosted my confidence. By the conference, I delivered the presentation naturally and effectively. This experience proved invaluable, teaching me the power of self-review in mastering public speaking.

Speak out loud and speak often. You can do this in the car, on a Zoom call, in meetings, with family. Focus on making a compelling point in a concise manner. See if you are getting the result that you want. Learn and iterate. I've grown tremendously as a speaker, not by incorporating any single piece of advice. I've grown by thousands of experiences and iterations.

> Use a voice recorder or video to capture your practice sessions. > Analyze your recordings to identify areas for improvement. > Pay attention to your tone, pace, and clarity of speech.

Yeah. I actually agree with the above. Ignite that imagination of yours. Daydream till your hearts content. Visualise the heck out of your potential performances. You’ll be amazed at how often and how quickly opportunities will present themselves that look and feel remarkably like what you envisioned.

Visualisation (coupled with practice) is one of the most effective methods of building confidence for public speaking. The more you anticipate positive outcomes, the less intimidated you feel, this makes for a better presentation or speech.

By practicing this visualization, you train your subconscious to anticipate success, which helps alleviate anxiety and builds speaking confidence in practical ways. After each visualization session, take a moment to write down what you imagined, focusing on the details of your successful speech and the audience’s reaction. This practice not only reinforces the positive scenario in your mind but also aligns with the biblical practice of meditation and reflection, as suggested in Joshua 1:8, "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night." Journaling after visualization solidifies the confidence gained and prepares you psychologically to turn these visualized outcomes into reality.

> Imagine yourself giving a successful speech, focusing on the positive feedback from the audience. > Visualize overcoming nervousness and speaking confidently. > Use this technique regularly to build a mental image of success.

When you deeply believe that your speech matters to your audience and you have a broad range of knowledge to offer, you wont get suffocated by the idea that everyone is judging you while listening to your talk. It really boils down to how boldly you are presenting yourself.

Now expanding your vocabulary in the languages you speak in is the best thing that you can do to improve. Here, that means keeping your ears and mind open to every new word/sound you heard and having the willingness to know what it was and what it meant. Then using it in your own sentences does the trick. Do this even while watching shows/ movies.

To enhance the practice of expanding your vocabulary, try engaging in active reading sessions. Choose materials that challenge you—books, articles, or journals in diverse fields. As you encounter new words, look them up, write down their meanings, and craft example sentences. Reflect on these sessions by discussing new words with peers or mentors, echoing the biblical practice of learning through discourse, as Proverbs 27:17 states, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." This method not only broadens your vocabulary but also deepens your understanding and ability to use these words effectively in your speeches and daily interactions.

> Read widely to expose yourself to new words and phrases. > Use a word-a-day app or calendar to learn and incorporate new vocabulary. > Practice using new words in sentences to make them a part of your active vocabulary.

Body language is spoken from the inside out. When your mind perceives stress, your body speaks it. Just as we don't learn to dance ten minutes before the ball, nor do we learn body language ten minutes before an important speech. For that reason, it's important to develop rituals that quiet a busy mind. And that way, our bodies develop the muscle memory needed to speak the language we want on stage. Consider practices like mindfulness, breathwork, exercise, pausing.... anything that interrupts unconscious thought patterns. Observe the connection with your physical response. And use that calm as your superpower the next time you speak or present!

Three ways to work on your body language everyday: 1. Observe the body language of people you admire who have a great stage presence. they could be at your workplace, on TV or in any of the TED talks you've watched. Make notes. 2. Watch the content of Vanessa van Edwards on your YouTube Channel - The Science of People for research based tips on improving your body language to sound more confident and charismatic. 3. Practice in front of the mirror or record yourself to apply what you learnt.

> Stand in front of a mirror and practice your speech to observe your body language. > Work on maintaining an open posture and using gestures that complement your words. > Be mindful of facial expressions and eye contact as they are crucial for engaging the audience.

> After each public speaking opportunity, take time to reflect on what went well and what didn’t. > Seek constructive feedback from peers or mentors. > Use this reflection to make adjustments and set goals for your next speaking opportunity.

I built my confidence in public speaking by starting a podcast. My co-host and I started the journey with going live once per week. The process of preparing and participating in a weekly show format improved my public speaking significantly. One of the main reasons is that with live content anything can happen and you learn to adjust in real-time. Also the repetition of having a weekly show created an opportunity for on-going self evaluation, evaluation from guests, as well as feedback from those watching the show. The on-going feedback helped to increase my confidence because it was always clear to become a more effective communicator.

Watch other professional keynote speakers on YouTube and TedTalks. Learn from others. Make note of what they are doing to get their message across effectively. When do they pause? What is their opening line? How do they deliver stories versus how do they deliver facts?

Consider exploring your voice tone and quality with a voice function teacher - you'll learn about your voice and what makes it tick, and how to overcome obstacles or limitations. A voice function specialist can design specific training for you and give you, as well as a practice guide to help you move towards speaking with more ease and impact.

Record yourself and watch yourself speaking regularly. The amount of clients I work with who will never record themselves. So many of our vocal habits aren't conscious, so we don't even realise what we're doing when we speak (e.g. eyebrows, chin or shoulders raising) and how we sound when we speak. This isn't to beat yourself up, but awareness is an essential first step to create change. Then you can decide if you want to work with a voice coach or public speaking coach, to help you elevate your vocal delivery.