“I wonder- did I tag this as journal piece because of my public speaking and wanting to do it correctly, or because Janet Esposito is a social worker? So many things one can do with a MSW. Lord, lead the way”

I am the last person to deny how agonizing the fear of public speaking can be. But I’ve learned, personally and through my work with many coaching clients, that the more we let go of our need to conquer the fear, the more it eases naturally.

To heal the roots of why we’re afraid, it’s best to work on three levels.

BODY:
We must slow the body down at the moment the fight-or-flight reaction wants to speed us up. This means we need to deliberately move more slowly, speak more slowly, and respond more slowly.

Deepen your breath, letting go of tension with each exhalation. You may want…