Are you afraid of public speaking because you don't want to embarrass yourself while giving your speech? This one's for you.

THE FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING IS NORMAL AND AFFECTS 3 OUT OF 4 AMERICANS. WHEN THAT FEAR IS SO STRONG THAT IT CHANGES HOW THE PERSON BEHAVES IN EVERYDAY LIFE COMMUNICATIONS, IT’S CALLED COMMUNICATION APPREHENSION.

THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF COMMUNICATION APPREHENSION I SEE IN PUBLIC SPEAKING IS STATE-ANXIETY--THAT IS YOU’RE AFRAID OF PUBLIC EMBARRASSMENT.

BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW IF STATE ANXIETY IS THE CAUSE OF YOUR FEARS?

DO YOU GET NERVOUS ABOUT SPEAKING IN FRONT OF OTHER PEOPLE? STATE ANXIETY COMES FROM YOUR FEAR OF THE EXTERNAL SITUATION--IN THE CASES OF PUBLIC SPEAKING… STATE ANXIETY IS THE FEAR OF SCRUTINY OR BEING SEEN AS A BAD SPEAKER BY YOUR AUDIENCE.

IF YOU HAVE STATE ANXIETY--CHANCES ARE YOU’VE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST--PERHAPS YOU HAD TO READ AN ESSAY OUT LOUD IN ENGLISH AND YOU FROZE--MAYBE YOU WERE IN A PLAY IN HIGH SCHOOL AND YOU FORGOT ALL OF YOUR LINES. MOST PEOPLE WITH STATE ANXIETY HAVE HAD A NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE THAT RESULTS IN WHAT THEY PERCEIVE AS PUBLIC EMBARRASSMENT… ALTHOUGH SOME PEOPLE WITH THIS CONDITION HAVE SIMPLY WATCHED *OTHER* PEOPLE FACING EMBARRASSMENT IN PUBLIC AND THEY CAN RELATE--PLUS THEY DON’T WANT THAT TO EVER HAPPEN TO THEM.

REMEMBER BILLIONAIRE WARREN BUFFET--WHO DROPPED OUT OF HIS PUBLIC SPEAKING CLASS??-HE HAS SAID HE WAS “TERRIFIED OF GETTING UP AND SAYING HIS NAME” IN COLLEGE. THAT’S STATE ANXIETY...AN IRRATIONAL FEAR OF THE NORMAL AND IMPERFECT PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION.

IF YOU SUFFER FROM STATE ANXIETY, YOU PROBABLY WORRY THAT YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE AN EMBARRASSING MISTAKE DURING YOUR SPEECH--AND THAT FEAR IS NORMAL--BUT HOW YOU FACE THAT FEAR CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING SOMEONE WHO AVOIDS COMMUNICATING IN PUBLIC AND SOMEONE WHO CAN SUCCESSFULLY COMMUNICATE POWERFUL MESSAGES TO THEIR AUDIENCE.

IN THE NEXT VIDEO, I’LL TELL YOU ABOUT ANOTHER TYPE OF COMMUNICATION APPREHENSION--AND IF YOU IDENTIFY AS A “SHY” PERSON--THAT VIDEO WILL REALLY HELP YOU BREAK DOWN YOUR FEARS ABOUT PUBLIC SPEAKING.

Are you looking to take public speaking online while also earning college credit?

This is the place for you. Try Dr. Sunny!

Dr. Sunny Skye Hughes teaches at Santa Fe College-ranked #1 community college in 2016 by the Aspen Institute.

You can take the class from anywhere as a transient student.
Learn more here: https://www.sunnyhughes.com