You already know how important it is to know the topic you are going to talk about and to diagnose the audience you are meeting.

Another thing is your mindset. The thoughts you produce in your head translate into emotions, and emotions translate into behaviors. The effect will very often depend on the attitude you have towards your preparations and your presentation.

That is why thinking about hygiene and how you prepare yourself before your presentation is very important. If there is a risk that your “inner critic” will turn on – do not talk to it, do not listen to it, this is not the time for depressing internal dialogues. Imagine that you are putting your inner critic outside the door!

(In the future, deal with the character of the “inner critic” because it can hinder you from being a leader.)

Focus on practicing a positive and specific attitude, so that you do not lower your self-esteem before the speech.

A positive, specific attitude means that you prepare for the speech and at the same time take care of good intentions and an optimistic approach.

If you have a negative attitude, you are full of doubts, you multiply negative thoughts in your head, then, unfortunately, you are not helping yourself. There is a high probability that you will do worse because you have a negative attitude.

Remember! You have an influence on the shape of your thoughts and your attitude.

If you are nervous, it is important to know that it is okay. Nerves will not cause you to fail your presentation. Set yourself up for a great presentation, even if you are nervous.

Stress can be motivating and if it is not paralyzing, it will only last before the presentation and at the very beginning, then the stress level will start to drop. You can also seek support from loved ones and reduce your stress level through humor or taking a walk.

It is also important not to constantly tell yourself that you are nervous and stressed, because this only increases stress. Observe your internal dialogue and talk to yourself in a calm, emotion-moderating way.

You can also do breathing exercises; it is very simple and calms the body. Sit in a quiet place and focus on breathing, calmly inhale and exhale. This is a message to the body that it is safe, and it begins to calm down on its own.

Remember to drink water, it hydrates your body and makes the brain work better. Get enough sleep and rest well before public speaking.

Remember! We are a whole, you are not just in your head so, if you want to be coherent and calm, start responding to the signals coming from your body and take care of them, especially in stressful circumstances.

Answer the following questions:

✅ What/who supports me at this moment?

✅ How can I relax?

✅ What do I need for my speech to go well?

👉 It is important that you remember that you are the master of your thoughts and that you can shape them. The point is to consciously work on your attitude toward public speaking. This is called “mental hygiene”. Remember that emotions follow thoughts, and behaviors follow emotions. When preparing for public speaking, your “inner critic” should not rule your thoughts.