Don’t let fear and anxiety associated with public speaking limit you…
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over 70% suffer from Glossophobia – more commonly known as ‘stage fright’. Many cite ‘public speaking’ as the number one thing they are fearful of in their lives, even above death! Aside from work and personal opportunities, this phobia heavily limits one’s self-confidence and pursuit of life goals. The good news is that guided meditation techniques serve as excellent tools for self-discovery and for unlocking your true potential as a public speaker. There are many root causes that lead to presentation anxiety, and guided meditation has been proven to alleviate the stress associated with upcoming presentations.
As a business owner, an educator and a self-proclaimed toast master, I often find myself having to speak in front of large crowds. I always had performance anxiety and guided meditation and visualization have done wonders for my public speaking abilities, so I wanted to give back by creating this hopefully helpful resource for others to use.
It is important to practice guided meditation not only during times of immense stress, but during times when you are feeling relatively okay as well. Retraining your mind to digest your stressors in a healthier way takes time and practice. For me, guided meditation has probably been the healthiest investment of my time.
If you prefer to read, rather than listen – please find the transcript of the meditation below the video…
Guided Meditation for Performance Anxiety Transcript…
Welcome to your time for self-improvement, encouragement, and preparation for deserved positive outcomes in your life.
As we get started, I want you to gently trust and have faith in your mind, body and spirit to be able to deal with the stressors in your life.
There is no need to get discouraged if you feel overly anxious or fearful at the moment as these emotions and feelings will become less severe with each time you listen to this meditation and with each time you face your fears.
Respect the grind and appreciate the lessons that will come from it. Trust the process.
Your mind, body, and spirit are simply over-responding to a stimulus that does not warrant such a response.
And with time and practice you will be desensitized to your fears of public speaking.
This process is slower for some, and faster for others.
Some even prefer the heightened level of alertness, because they find they perform better.
Find a relaxed, comfortable position allowing your body to relieve tension, your shoulders to relax, your stomach to relax, your arms and legs to relax. Don’t become discouraged if your mind is wandering or intrusive thoughts are floating about.
Allow your mind to process and digest as it chooses to and then let the thoughts dissolve.
Acknowledge and sweep the thoughts aside.
Tune in on your breath now.
Breathe in deeply for 4 seconds
Hold the breath for 2-3 seconds
And breathe out slowly, deeply, and confidently for 5 seconds.
Breathe in new opportunities, breathe out the labels society placed on you in the past.
Breath in confidence, breathe out the labels and limitations your critics have placed on you in the past
Know and respect that your haters are your most loyal motivators.
Breathe in self-love,
breathe out the labels and limitations you have placed on yourself.
You deserve all of the positive outcomes in your life.
You accept all challenges as opportunities for growth.
Know that you will love yourself irrespective of the outcome.
You always bounce back from the hurdles that life presents you with.
You make good decisions, and you’re always improving with how you respond to setbacks.
Today, and every day you choose to show up for your opportunities in life.
You are becoming prepared, ready, and excited for new challenges.
With each new challenge you grow in confidence and ability regardless of the outcome.
You understand that past failures are the building blocks to your success, the key ingredients needed for your mental fortitude.
Anxiety, fear, and excitement all have very similar biochemical and physiological responses.
So know that a healthy portion of how you’re feeling is actually due to being excited about your forthcoming opportunity, rather than afraid of it.
Also, be mindful that a part of you may be afraid of the success of the upcoming presentation.
After all, with success and with new opportunities comes new challenges and those can be exciting and come with added stress.
Embracing the challenge and conquering it can be thrilling! Imagine how gratifying it shall feel.
Still breathing deeply, do it with a smile now. Feel how you’ll be smiling, relaxed, and oozing with newfound confidence after your presentation.
Proud and full of love for thyself regardless of outcome.
Winning is a mindset, 
success is achieved through mindset.
Happiness and fulfillment are achieved through mindset and you have gifted yourself with the opportunity to fortify your mind at this moment.
You know you cannot control all outcomes, but you can control your preparation to deal with them positively.
By giving yourself this time for self-improvement, you are preparing your mind, your body, and your soul for success.
You will not be afraid of how others will perceive you.
You will not be negatively affected by their criticism any more.
After all, if you know you will love yourself all the same, does it really matter how others will view you and think of you?
What truly matters is how you will view you, and how you will think of yourself.
Facing your fears is empowering and you know that your enhanced self-worth and self-love will not be affected by ignorant negativity.
Do not shy away from the challenges presented in your unique journey through this life.
Breathe in stability, breathe out the tension in your stomach.
Feel your shoulder relax, your chest relax, your stomach relax.
Feel your breath effortlessly deepen.
You are rising. Rise. Rise. Rise.
Rise above your fears, above your past, above your anxieties.
Rise to a point where you can see the big picture.
You are proud of your progress, confident in your abilities to deal with any and all outcomes, and powerful in your heart and mind.
You look ahead for a moment.
You sense how proud and at ease you will feel after the presentation, you look back and are thankful for all the past has taught you, and you are present to enjoy your earned happiness in your life….
Today, this hour, this minute, now.
Your past does not define you.
Your future does not intimidate you, and your present does not limit you.
You are rising high enough to see that.
You have left the critics, the doubters, the negative people out of sight.
Others no longer have the power over you.
You are free to achieve anything and everything you desire from this life.
You welcome success, you embrace failures…you love yourself unconditionally.
You are content with the beauty of being alive, you are willing to give yourself permission to thrive.
You are becoming more and more assertive!
Willing and capable of discovering and pursuing what motivates you, your true passions and paths in life.
The walls you are attempting to break through – all have doors that will swing open for you much easier and much smoother than you anticipate. And what awaits for you on the other side is well-worth any anxiety and fear you may have briefly endured.
You’re strong enough and becoming wise enough to deal with all life’s challenges.
You are filling your soul with self-love, courage, and blissful purpose.
Seize your opportunities my friend. For they are deserving of you. And you are deserving of them.
Always remember, overcoming your fears and anxieties is a spring-board which will propel you to heights from where the view and perspective will be life-changing, magnificent, and crystal clear.
Congratulate yourself on continuously taking steps to live a more fulfilled life.
