I love that World Speech Day happens on March 15th, AKA the Ides of March. This is a great rebrand!
Let’s rewind to….44 BC. Julius Caesar is a politician in Rome. He most definitely is not popular. A seer tells him “Beware the Ides of March.” Julius laughs it off.
And then meets his end later that same day.
But I digress.
You do not need to beware the Ides of March! With the right mindset, prep, and compelling why, you can embrace March 15th, World Speech Day. You can deliver your own speech, advocating for something you care about.
(I know that seer would back me up on this.)
If the idea of making a speech feels overwhelming and out of reach, here are 5 reframes to help.
1. Even though you are the one making the speech, it’s not about you. You’re there to help your audience have an experience, to help them see things in a new light.
2. Try seeing yourself as the host. How do you want your audience to feel? What do you want them to experience? What do you want them to believe, feel, and do when they leave? You are inviting them into your world – how you see things, how you think. Be a generous host.
3. If you hate being the center of attention, consider this.
If you put your audience’s experience in the center of your attention, then you have no mental space to worry about you.
Picture that time you had people over and you forgot to eat the cookies you had labored over because you were caught up in making sure everyone else had a good time. Your center of attention was on your guests. Not on you. (I’m sorry you missed out on that cookie, btw. But you can get one now.)
It’s when we put OUR center of attention on OURSELVES that things start to fall apart. Self-consciousness floods in when we start watching ourselves, listening to ourselves, and judging ourselves.
4. Beating yourself up for having an elevated heart rate, a red face, or sweaty hands is mean and doesn’t help. Next time you’re tempted to judge yourself for being nervous (and compare yourself to Maria, who never seems nervous), say this to yourself, “It’s okay to be nervous, accepting how I feel is better than fighting how I feel.”
If this gives you relief, adopt it as your new mantra.
5. If your face does turn red when you’re stressed, decide you look amazing in red. This way you won’t blush about blushing. You won’t feel like your face is betraying you. It’s actually helping you look cuter! And you’re likely to feel less tense faster and get back in the flow.
So, when it comes to the Ides of March, embrace this date! Happy World Speech Day!
Amanda Hennessey is a public speaking coach, here to help self-doubting experts approach public speaking from a place of service and passion, rather than from fear, ego, a need for approval (or thinking that seeing your audience in their underwear is a good idea).
She is the author of Your Guide to Public Speaking and the CEO and Founder of San Diego Public Speaking, Boston Public Speaking, and Co-Founder of San Diego Acting Classes. Whether she is working with clients one-on-one who are over playing small or teams who need courage and practical skills, Amanda loves helping her clients take up more space.
Website: www.sandiegopublicspeaking.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/amandahennessey
Instagram: @amandaghennessey
