How do you feel when you think about talking in public?
Racing heart? Trembling just at the thought of it?
I know that feeling well because that used to be me, I was once sacked from a job handing out fliers because I couldn't bring myself to speak to people, five years later I performed stand-up comedy in front of a thousand people, and a week after that I was stood in the corner of a party where I didn’t know anyone sweating at the idea of talking to strangers, fear is complicated.
A fear of public speaking is one of the most understandable fears.
But, there is good news, to speak at your wedding you don’t have to get over a fear of public speaking.
You don’t have to master football to kick a ball or become a chef to make toast.
These blogs will show you how to conquer your fear, just enough to have the perfect wedding speech.
Step One – Ignore the bad advice.
When I started performing stand-up comedy I was given the advice ‘Step one, be funny. If they are not laughing, you are failing step one and are not ready for step two’. What was step two? ‘Be funnier’
Everyone will suddenly have words of advice for you, and these are the worst three…
· Just don’t care what people think
Just. Just?
While I’m at it, why don’t I just become a brilliant speaker, just become a brilliant writer. I suppose if things go wrong I can always just invent a time machine, just time travel to when you gave me this advice and just… You get my point.
· Picture the audience naked
I have never been in any public situation where nudity is the answer.
If you're having to speak at work, that advice is an HR nightmare, and at your wedding? Well, if you think that trying to imagine your new in-laws in the nude is how you want to start your married life, I think the help you need is out of my control.
· Have a drink to calm your nerves
I took this advice for my first-ever gig and don’t remember a thing. A lot of time, energy and money is going into your wedding day, this is not the route you want to go down. Alcohol is only the answer if the question is what liquid substance will be very unhelpful to my current situation?