By Miranda Fraraccio

When telling a story, or participating in any form of public speaking for that matter, presenters are often paralyzed by nerves and lack confidence in what they’re saying. Storytelling is an art form that’s all about opening up and being vulnerable in front of others. It requires tellers to push themselves far outside of their comfort zones to explore new and uncomfortable territories. 

Below are some tips on how you can feel confident to share your story and participate in the art of storytelling. 

1. Practice

Try practicing your story out loud in front of somebody you are comfortable with, or record yourself and watch it back to observe your timing and delivery. Giving yourself a chance to practice will help you see what issues need to be worked out and will give you an idea of what reactions to expect from the audience. The more confident you feel in your material, the easier and more comfortable it’ll be to share your story with others.

2. Breathe

When presenters get nervous, oftentimes they’ll speed up their speech and forget to breathe regularly. They’ll get as many words out as they can before exhausting their breath as a way to rush through. When public speaking, it’s important to remember that it’s ok to step back and take a breath. Not only will this calm down nerves, but silence and breaths can be used creatively to convey a stronger sense of emotion or build suspense. When practicing public speaking, try to stylistically use your breath to help elevate your performance.

3. Observe and Learn From Others

Storytelling requires you to not only share your story, but to take a step back and listen to those around you. It’s a collaborative art that is most successful when there is a supportive group who helps strengthen the story. By listening to other people’s stories, you can familiarize yourself with the art of storytelling, gain inspiration on ways to deliver your story, and observe how crowds react to different scenes throughout a teller’s performance. 

4. Be Yourself

Being your most authentic self is key to a good performance. An audience can tell when someone is uncomfortable or putting on an act. The best performance you can give is one where you are open and sharing your true emotions to connect with your audience.

5. Get Rest the Night Before

By preparing your body the night before with a good night’s sleep, your mind will feel sharper for your performance. Practicing self-care and doing things to make your body feel relaxed and prepared for the following day can drastically improve your attitude and motivate you to succeed at your performance.

6. Accept Your Emotions

Most people, regardless of how many times they’ve performed, still get nervous when public speaking. No matter how much practice you have, it’s normal to feel a wide range of emotions prior to a performance. By accepting your emotions, you are allowing your body to feel what it naturally needs to so you can mentally prepare for the performance. 

7. Don’t Listen to Thoughts of Self-Doubt

While it’s fine to accept your emotions as we discussed in the last tip, there’s a difference between accepting what you feel and accepting thoughts of self-doubt. Negative thoughts are counter-productive and will make you feel more intimidated and afraid to perform. Instead of listening to those thoughts that say “you’re going to fail” or “you’re not good enough.” remind yourself that the only person saying this negative stuff is you. Try and focus on positive thoughts and mantras, allowing yourself to go into the performance with a better outlook on how you think you’ll do. 

8. Familiarize Yourself With Those Around You

If possible, it’s a great idea to meet some people and introduce yourself to those you’ll be speaking to. By familiarizing yourself with those around you, you’ll feel more confident and comfortable knowing you have some familiar faces to rely on. Understanding who you’re talking to takes the mystery out of the audience and can help you feel connected to them.

9. Avoid Substances That Will Hinder Performance

To avoid being jumpy and jolty throughout a performance, it’s recommended that performers avoid any kind of caffeinated beverage that may make you feel even more nervous or hyper. Alcohol and other substances should be avoided as well so you have full control of your body while performing. 

10. Keep It Concise

There’s no worse feeling for a performer than to see you’re losing your audience. To keep your audience’s attention, it’s important to allow them the chance to visualize what you’re talking about by “showing, not telling.” Leave some things to the imagination and give your audience the chance to paint a picture in their heads of what it is you’re describing.  

Storytelling isn’t easy. It’s a challenging art form, but the reward makes it all worth it. At Story Jam, we offer courses that can help you learn how to advance your storytelling skills, while getting more comfortable sharing in front of others. People often say they don’t have interesting enough stories or don’t feel they have much to open up about. However, we believe everybody has a story worth sharing. That’s why we offer classes at all skill levels to teach you all about the art of storytelling. Newcomers are encouraged to enroll and learn all about the beautiful, and often cathartic, art of storytelling!