Everyday about 5 pm, I drive past a street fighter at the corner of Westheimer and Shadowbriar.  Really!  A street fighter!  For at least a year, I have seen this man, maybe 30 years old, dressed in fight gear, hat, gloves, armbands, shorts.  He dances on the corner, fighting with an invisible opponent.  Once […]

  When one journey ends, another begins.  But sometimes, maybe, you have to wait to see the next path. A little over 20 years ago, I started the journey of learning to transform stage fright and fear of public speaking so that I and others could connect with the power of presence when speaking or […]

  “The split between the mind and body is one of the most painful things we face.”                         –  Carla Bazemore – Founder, Yoga Lotus   Carla, my yoga teacher, reminded me that the split between the mind and body causes us humans much difficulty.  It is this same kind of mind/body split that makes […]

There is something about public speaking, expressing oneself in groups, presenting or performing that triggers many people’s desire to look perfect.  It seems we just can’t give ourselves permission to be imperfect and…. well, human.  When we don’t feel safe to be genuinely who we are in front of others, we tense up the body […]

Speaking to groups of people, sharing your ideas, insights and expertise can be a peak experience if you open to be yourself fully in front of others. I found myself humming the song “I Enjoy Being a Girl” yesterday.  Who knows why that song was in my head?  As I hummed, I began to think about […]

David Portney at Best Public Speaking Training  has written an article on how to Prevent Stage Fright.  He has a great idea to meet and greet audience members just before your talk.  I have advocated this for many years. I hope I have David’s permission to mention his article and to add to his helpful […]

Learning to speak in front of groups is similar to the caterpillar’s process.  The high intensity of energy that gets stirred inside your body when you become the center of attention requires a meltdown.  You have to melt into the feelings of physical tension and emotional overwhelm that get stirred up inside.  The lovely thing […]

To empower your talks, identify a universal message that you own through experience.   A universal message will energize your presentations with passion for what you are saying.  A contributing factor to stage fright and fear of speaking is the fact that people often leave out their most deeply held beliefs and values from their presentations.  […]

Normally I write about stage fright and fear of public speaking, but today my focus is broader. As we face an economic crisis, just about everybody is feeling some fear and anxiety right now.  I have been working to overcome mine and to transform the fear into power. I have also been pondering what I […]

If you pay close attention to how you feel during stage fright, you will notice that the feeling is very familiar, and about as old as your earliest memories.  It is the same feeling that you had when you were a small child – powerless, overwhelmed by the larger world and totally dependent on others […]