Tips for keeping your cool before your presentation

You need your nerves.  You need your excitement and you need your energy before you present.

You also need to keep them under control and channelled into the best presentation you can give.

Depending on the space and the time that you have, try these physical strategies to tame the nervous in the body and give your mind a chance to relax and be positive before you bring speaking.

Stretch to relax. Rise on your toes and reach for the ceiling, with your head back. Tighten your muscles from legs up through abdomen, and then release. Relax the neck and shoulder muscles, letting head loll on neck in different directions.

Breathe to relax. Stand erect, but relaxed and balanced. Inhale while silently counting to five. Hold the breath for five counts, then exhale for five – all breathing is through the mouth. Your diaphragm should move, but your chest should not expand. You can gradually increase the number of counts for each breath to 10.

Relax your Jaw. Let your head loll forward. As you raise it, keep your jaw relaxed. Let it hang open, and smile to yourself at how silly it feels.

Relax your throat. Yawn …. This is how your throat needs to be to speak well – open, and relaxed.Keep relaxing the muscles throughout your body, your jaw, neck and throat until you walk to the presentation area. Then smile! and begin.

Take your focussed positivity, generosity and passion out onto the stage/platform/presentation space …. and enjoy!