I'm so nervous during presentations and meetings, how can I improve my public speaking?

If you are nervous, you should use relaxation techniques before meeting or presentation. It is useful if you can visualize yoursef

First express your opinions or feelings in safe environments, in situations where people are supportive and loving toward you. Notice your self-talk throughout your day. Can you improve it? Can you make it more encouraging, more cheerleader like?:) Get into a habit or being encouraging to yourself more often and then you'll go there before doing a presentation or a meeting and that'll make it easier for you to go back to that "more confident place". Visualization also helps. Imagine how you want to feel and behave.

well someone once told me, just picture the people in front of you naked or imagine them wearing ridiculous outfits. it will help distract you for a while. But another technique is to not look at the audience in the eye. Instead look at the wall behind them or their hair.

I always run through my presentations with friends. It's important to know what you're presenting, so make sure that you know your topic inside and out. I like my presentation medium (slides usually) to be less wordy, I use mostly pictures and key words. This prevents me from reading off the slides, my presentation would feel more smooth and I can engage the audience easily. Make eye contact with your audience, really talk to them and talk with confidence, this will prevent them from getting bored or distracted. The part that always worry me most about presentations are the Q&A session. I make sure to anticipate questions that will be asked before the presentation, and during the presentation, I make sure I understand the question before I answer, and in the worst case scenario where I don't have an answer, I would honestly say that unfortunately I don't know the answer, but will find out after the presentation and contact them with the answer if they would like it.

It's something many people actually hate doing, even when they sometimes come across confident! Most of us actually feel the same about it. But with time and experience, it gets easier as you'll gradually feel more confident.

I was originally a very timid person when it came to public speaking but I have developed some strong abilities now and have even won gold in competitions. I started by practicing in the mirror and learning how I looked while I was talking. I repeated until I felt incredibly comfortable. Then I started asking people I trusted if they could be my practice audience, and I would start with one person and then worked myself up to a small group of friends/family. It does take time and you might not even notice a huge difference the first time you talk in front of a crowd after trying this but if you keep trying, eventually it's nothing. Like a house, you have to build it brick by brick.

Be as prepared as you can get. I research and practice until I know I am prepared, and I find that it significantly reduces my anxiety. I also like to think about what confidence looks like in physical gestures and practice. This could mean practicing my posture or the way I move my hands while I speak. When you are in front of a crowd, just remember that no one is actively hoping that you mess up. This is a fear that you create for yourself. Most people are resisting the urge to check their phone, thinking about their next meal, or thinking about what they plan to do once they are finished with work. This is a comfort for me because it reminds me that their focus is not entirely on me. It isn't personal; it's just human nature. All I'm risking is that someone zones out during my speech. Speak confidently, even if it's fake confidence, and no one will be the wiser.

Start small. Start speaking to yourself in front of the mirror. If you're still nervous, then start by just saying hi and introducing yourself before going into the presentation. Once you've grown more comfortable, try it with your friends, siblings or family. Start with one person, then maybe increase after that. The idea is to practice and to get yourself used to the idea of speaking first.

It's really common for people to advise you to "imagine everyone in their underwear" when it comes to overcoming public speaking anxiety. Few people realise that the underlying reasoning behind this is it reminds you that the people listening to you are fellow human beings, who make mistakes and understand nerves. Everyone was inexperienced at some point. Keeping that in mind might help. The other tip I have for you is to practise, practise, practise. Even if you aren't confident, fake it well enough and you'll find people smiling back at you during your speech. They want to see a confident and prepared speaker. Nobody wants to sit through an ill-rehearsed messy speech, everyone wants it to work out well just as much as you do. So don't think of your audience as the enemy! And lastly, try to dissociate yourself from what you're speaking about. It may feel like putting yourself out there to be judged, but your work does not solely define you. Good luck!

act if the audience are like your family or your close friends , try memorizing your speech well and keep in mind that fear is just a thought in you head