When he was on his way to be executed, so the story goes, Charles I insisted on wearing a second vest to make absolutely sure he didn’t shiver with cold – he didn’t want people to think he might have been shaking with fear. It’s very easy to confuse symptoms of one issue with those of another.
Your body is even easier to confuse. As a speaker, it’s worth hanging on to a a simple aphorism: what simulates, stimulates. In other words, if you do the same things as you would do if you were anxious (for long enough) the physical acts you perform will cause your body to react and behave as though there was something to be afraid of. Thus, if you’re making a presentation in a cold room (and therefore have tense muscles) you will find yourself (unfortunately) much more susceptible to the effects of anxiety and fear – you’re halfway there because of your physical behaviour.
Unfortunately, it’s sadly the case that simulating the things you want to avoid is a lot easier than simulating the things you want to make happen – but at least you’ve made a start. Today’s simple tip? Wear a vest! (Or at least wear sensible clothing for the venue. :) )
