SPEECH TEASER

Glossophobia, The Fear Of Public Speaking

It’s said the public speaking phobia affects 75% of the world's population

I never had to speak in front of large groups, but my fear of public speaking also extended to smaller groups. Speaking in a meeting with colleagues I worked with every day? Even that was a no-go for me. I still remember those meetings as a manager, where I stuttered from one word to the other, while deep inside wondering what they must think of me.

When I was younger — nineteen and in my second year of university — I had to do an internship as part of my study. I ended up standing in front of a class of teenagers, some of them only six years younger than me.

Strangely enough, the fear of speaking was nowhere to be seen then.

Fast forward to my early forties, when I finally rounded off a bachelor management study after four years of working full time and going to school. I specialized in Training Science, and for my final script I had to prepare a lesson. During the oral examination, I had to give that lesson to two examinators.

In my introduction, before I started the lesson — my heart beat so fast I thought I might have an infarct — I told them I have no desire to be in front of a proper class — children or adults.

After the lesson — once I was busy, my heart calmed down, and my fear of speaking was gone — and answering all their questions, they told me I had passed with flying colors. However, they had one remark: please reconsider giving lessons. We need teachers like you.

There are two things all my teaching moments had in common:

• I knew my subject.
• I was well prepared and organized.
• I visualized the lessons.

If you search for ways to overcome the fear of public speaking, you will find those three points among the tips.

Of course, there’s the one thing many people say you should do when you stand in front of a group of people: imagine your audience naked.

Apparently that should help, but what if you do that, and the naked images get out of hand?

It might just turn into an addiction!

Marie A. Rebelle is the owner of Serial Stories, editor of Tantalizing Tales and Teaser Tales, writer of fact and fiction, sometimes transgressive, sometimes erotic, and always about life. Likes to share, and treats everyone with the respect they deserve. Top writer in Short Stories, Fiction & LGBTQ. Twitter: @rebelsnotes