How can mindfulness help you overcome self-doubt and build confidence as a speaker?

The best way to think of being mindful in a presentation or talk is to imagine yourself going from being self-conscious to self-aware. In a self-conscious state, you're in pain, you fear judgement and you're constantly overthinking what you're saying. In a self-aware state, you're in the flow, you're letting your words flow naturally and yet you're aware of how they're being perceived by the audience.

Mindfulness, cultivated through various techniques such as meditation and focused breathing exercises, facilitates heightened awareness of sensations, thoughts, and emotions. Recognizing its potential benefits, one should appreciate the role of mindfulness in fostering a calm and focused mindset, thereby contributing to stress reduction and overall enhancement of individual well-being.

Deep, controlled breaths anchor you in the present, detaching you from the anxiety spiral. Replace negative self-talk with affirmations. Believe in your preparation and expertise. "I'm ready to share my knowledge" vs. "What if I mess up?" Practice mindfully. Visualize yourself speaking confidently, connecting with the audience. Focus on your strengths and message. Perfection is an illusion. Accept that stumbles happen, but your message still holds value. Breathe, adjust, and keep going. Stay anchored in the here and now. Don't dwell on past fumbles or worry about future outcomes. Acknowledge your speaking journey, celebrate each successful presentation, and learn from every experience.

I find that mindfulness helps discover more ways to be effective even when things aren't going your way. With mindfulness, I can notice things that are distracting, annoying, or triggering and take charge of how I feel about it, in the moment. This allows me to stay engaged, focused, and committed to outcomes that benefit the group so we can all continue to make progress. Mindfulness also helps me to remember the bigger picture and regain the broader perspective when needed.

There is a specific moment, an opportunity to connect with confidence in the present when public speaking. That moment is 2 minutes in to your well practiced introduction! Rehearse your intro. Your words (obviously) but also your movements, your tonality and your facial expressions. Film it, watch it back, try it again, repeat, repeat, repeat. Practice until it’s permanent and then when you are speaking for real in front of an audience, you’ll have the autonomy and the bandwidth to perform, calm nerves and THEN, you’ll be 2 minutes in, just like that, intro done, efficacy high, and in that moment, you can be mindful of your success and tap into the energy you want to bring to the rest of the talk.

Understand that limiting beliefs or thoughts create stagnation and encourage fear. Being mindful of your present mood, thoughts and emotions is so key. Take the time to become calm and steady, embracing a peaceful mindset and clear the slate. Realize that using the power you have within and having a mindset that promotes self worth… you can achieve absolutely anything you choose too.

"Self-doubt, my version of imposter syndrome, loves to make surprise appearances. Each time it does, I remind myself: 'Sure, I may be short on experience, but definitely not on talent or the eagerness to give it a shot.' It's not about how you start—it's all about how you finish."

Examples of what I have used to be mindfulness is: 1) speak from your heart (you can never be wrong when you do this while being truthful). 2) Connect with the group you are speaking too, something in common brought everyone there. 3) Ask thoughtful questions and become the moderator of the audience. 4) Also embrace your feelings, the last time I spoke publicly I was overcome with emotion, I allowed myself to be in the moment of authentic self, and the audience embraced the feelings.

Self-doubt and what you say is considered a kind of lie for the mind, so it causes all the symptoms of depression, such as increased heart rate, sweating, respiratory tract disorders, and ultimately stress Believing in yourself and what you say; It causes the audience to pay special attention to the speaker This belief in the shadow of awareness of the abilities, strengths and weaknesses of each person; is created In addition, correct breathing is one of the most important exercises that can help the speaker deliver a better speech physically and mentally. This means that proper breathing controls the blood circulation and balances the pulse and heart rate, as a result of which stress is reduced.

When you focus on the needs of your audience rather than your own fears, a shift happens. You're no longer just delivering a message; you're sharing a story. I remember a talk I gave where I felt an unexpected rush of nerves. Instead of letting it spiral into doubt, I looked at the audience, really saw them, their expressions, their engagement. It helped! Being vulnerable helps too. Once, I lost my train of thought mid-speech. Instead of panicking, I acknowledged it with a light-hearted comment. This moment actually brought me closer to my audience. They empathised, and it became more interactive. Mindfulness in speaking is being in the moment, it transforms public speaking from a daunting task into an enjoyable and engaging experience.

Once again the more sincere and honest you project the more confidence you will have. Been natural and by be yourself. Try to talk as you are telling a history. That never fails

Self awareness is the first step towards creating what you want. If you want the audience to receive the message that you intend to convey via your talk AND you also want to deliver your talk confidently, then self awareness helps. When you are self-aware, you are AWARE of what is your usual thought process in various situations, you are AWARE of your emotions, and your reactions to how people perceive you. You are aware of your strengths, weaknesses, thoughts, beliefs, and emotions, also called mindfulness. This means you live in the present moment and notice and observe the NOW without thinking about the past and the future. Hence your attention on your words increases and you don't fumble and worry about forgetting your words.

Mindfulness is something we rarely do when we are on autopilot. We are constantly focusing on “what’s next” or what happened in the past, which leads to little awareness about what we need in the now. Adding in small doses of mindfulness is an awesome tool to get us in a calmer state of mind. It’s a way of paying attention to whatever is happening in our lives, which brings us more control. When we slow down, we actually make better decisions and feel more confident in our choices.

Notes build confidence. Note cards are even better -- and simply as reminders (do not read from them nor rely upon them). Dash off an intro, an outro and three main points in-between. Practice! Practice! Practice!

One trick which helps me before the speech is to close my eyes for 5 minutes and visualize the moment when i am actually delivering the speech, I imagine the resounding applause from the audience and their smiling faces. I imagine the speech to be a grand success. This ' mini-manifestation' indeed helps. Try it out and let me know your experience :)

There is real value in spending time to learn different breathing techniques....just before you speak... do the breathing excercise / practice that best fits you... then while speaking practice being in the moment with maintaining a focus on your words, your breathing and your pace...

Focus on the fact that the audience is rooting for you to succeed. They are there because they want fyi learn from you and what you have to share.

Before your speech, practice mindfulness through deep breathing or meditation to calm your nerves and focus your mind. During your speech, stay present by paying attention to your breath or the sensations in your body, helping you stay grounded and composed. After the speech, take a moment to reflect without judgment on how it went, acknowledging both successes and areas for improvement, and use this insight for future growth.

For me it’s breathing exercises 5 minutes before the speech and visualizing the audience in my head. They’re laughing, smiling, having a great time. I visualize my best case scenario and embrace it as my reality. During the speech, it’s about maintaining momentum and remembering to breathe. Pauses are effective and let you catch your breath. After the speech, go let out your cathartic “woohoo,” you deserve it.

One REALLY important thing to understand about mindfulness: Mindfulness is not about changing your thoughts or emotions It is about becoming more present and observing your thoughts and emotions Learning how to notice your inner experience without judgement or a need to battle it That is a key first step in building mindfulness tools... Practice observing your mind with the same curiosity a kid has when looking up at clouds As you do that, you'll start to notice that you don't need to change every thought and emotions that comes up You are not defined by your inner experience You can look at it, observe it, let it pass on it's own time, and give your energy to the only thing that matters... How you choose to live right NOW.

Mindfulness doesn't have to be exaggerated. It doesn't have to be some strict meditation practice, taking up significant parts of your day. Mindfulness could simply be noticing when your thoughts drift to the past or future and nudging them back to the present moment. An easy way to practice mindfulness is to collect your senses. What do you currently see? What do you currently hear? What do you currently smell? Etc. This brings you to the present every time. An effective and helpful tool to practice mindfulness.

Know the outcome you want for the audience and then give them that outcome. That involves research, preparation, practice, practice and more practice. Then deliver your message with confidence and care. Your audience will thank you with applause and wonderful reviews.

Getting started with mindfulness is easy. Start with focus and breath. Learning to appreciate and feel the breath undistracted is a great way to start. Then learning to apply this principle to circumstances like; stretching/exercising, eating, talking to others, driving, meditating, and praying.

Seeing mindfulness as a chance to be mindful as many times in a day. From taking time to make your coffee or tea in the morning, using all your senses as you do, same while washing your teeth, listening and observing your breath in any given moment. Then when you meditate, this is the the intentional sitting practice that regardless how you feel you show up for each day. Starting small 3 min and building up that time over time. Both being mindful and the practice of meditation will enhance your mental, physical and spiritual self. It will absolutely lead to more confidence and being present to be your most authentic self when presenting. The secret to success is in the daily action. Keep showing up no matter what!

Know Self, Love Self, Celebrate Self. All of us speakers,yes, we are public speakers. It is not about speaking in public but more about speaking to public. Our mindful inner dialogue will help powerful outer dialogue. Dialogue in the outer world is the result of our inner thoughts and feelings. So, know self, love self and celebrate self to be unstoppable in public speaking.

Mindfulness helps when you feel unsure about speaking. It means focusing on the present moment, taking calm breaths, and not being too hard on yourself. It's like practicing positive thoughts and imagining yourself doing well. This can make speaking feel less scary and build confidence.

Mindfulness is a way of living consciously. When we are living moment by moment, we are less likely to worry about the future outcomes or stress about past regrets. When we are fully present in this very moment, we live life fully. As life happens in this present moment. We live mindfully we can be fully present with whatever is arising within us. Be it anxiety or fear related to public speaking. Instead of feeding in those stories we can remain detached & breathe through it & let it dissolve. By doing so we are able to see ourselves as a detached observer & experiencer of the situation not as a victim. This helps you get rid of all your problems that arise due to your limited identity.

Visualize don't memorize! Visualize the points you need to convey and yourself delivering them comfortably, confidently, and enjoyably. Sometimes memorizing can lead to discomfort because if you forget exactly what you meant to say, it's difficult to get back on track. Memorized can also feel disingenuous to your audience, you're more likely to seem more personal when the words aren't scripted.

Here is a mindfulness exercise that I teach my students to overcome self-doubt and build confidence as a speaker: Before speaking: Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and relax your body. Notice any sensations, emotions, or thoughts that arise, and let them go without judgment. Remind yourself of your purpose and intention for speaking, and visualize yourself succeeding. During speaking: Focus on your breath, voice, and message, and avoid getting distracted by external or internal factors. If you notice any negative thoughts, such as “I’m not good enough” or “They don’t like me”, gently acknowledge them and return to the present. If you make a mistake, don’t dwell on it or beat yourself up, but move on with grace and humour.