Katablogism

This is the most common problem people face when giving a public speech, presentation or any kind of performance. The key as mentioned in many a place on the internet, is not to get rid of them altogether, but to force them into a pretty formation. Easier said then done. But it got me thinking. This purely is a physical feeling right? That swooning feeling is unmistakably empirical. There should be something you can do to control if not eradicate it. A little googling quickly revealed an interesting point:-

Butterflies are a symptom of anxiety. Anxiety leads to tension of the muscles. Tension constricts breathing. The brain notices reduction of the intake of oxygen, sends a message to the heart.. Beat harder! beat harder! Other physiological changes occur including blood pressure, potassium,circulation. Only thing you can control at this time is to reverse the oxygen problem. Breathe deeply. Brain notices increase in oxygen and send message to heart…OK slow down now…act normal. The other physiological changes will automatically follow.

Here are the two main techniques I find useful when faced with a butterfly attack:-

• Breathe Deeply: It definitely helps. The above quote taken from a response elsewhere seems to explain why.
• Practice Practice Practice: A famous motto prescribed by one of my brother’s heroes Johnathan fatal1ty Wendel. Nothing can substitute the benefits of good practice. The toastmasters club is a boon for this reason in the field of public speaking. I can personally vouch for this.Locate your nearest toastmasters club. I can see a huge difference between the first time i stood dangling at the lectern and today.

Check out the post “13 tips to Zap your butterflies when speaking in Public” particularly for Public speaking. Very useful.