Blog #1

Public speaking is an essential skill for our lives, as it is the foundation of personal and, very importantly, professional success. It is a powerful ability to communicate ideas, influence others, and create meaningful connections with the audience by conveying our ideas and feelings. Although essential, public speaking often triggers feelings of anxiety and fear in many people about having to speak in front of other people. However, with the right mindset, confidence, and techniques, anyone can master public speaking. It is both a personal journey and an exploration of methods to convey a message with confidence and clarity.

The importance of public speaking is seen in its ability to improve communication. In today's world, the ability to express ideas clearly and persuasively is an invaluable asset. Whether it is a work presentation, a lecture, or a formal conversation, public speaking is an important tool. Its impact goes beyond professional situations and influences personal relationships and self-confidence. People who express their ideas are more successful professionally and are often considered leaders. Public speaking, therefore, is not just about saying words; it is about expressing yourself and saying something that resonates with people, attracts them, and leaves an impression.

The fear of public speaking, often referred to as phobia, is a common and normal problem. In fact, approximately more than 50 percent of people experience anxiety when speaking in front of other people. This fear is usually due to the worry of being judged by the audience. The idea of ​​receiving criticism, making mistakes learning and improving on what could be improved and most importantly hearing other opinions. Instead of fearing and being judged, public speaking can be seen as an opportunity to grow. Criticism from the audience can be seen as constructive feedback that helps the speaker improve in future presentations. Personally, when I was little, I was very afraid of speaking or asking questions, but slowly I started to face my fears and I am not so afraid anymore, but with presentations, I still find it a little harder.

Being afraid of criticism can have a huge impact. Personally, I understand that each person's personality is unique, and we all think and act differently, and sometimes someone else's opinion can affect us to the point of lowering our confidence. Five years ago, a virus arrived that greatly affected confidence and interaction, and completely changed the world. COVID-19, in 2019, arrived affecting the new generations since they had to watch classes via Zoom and talk on social media, forced to use those resources due to the global situation that all countries were going through. As time went by, when things were returning to normal, the new era of social media was seen, as being the place of interaction for everyone. When everything reopened and people were able to go out, it was evident how everything had changed since people were afraid to interact with others because they had already become accustomed to doing so behind a camera. It was a process for all of us to adapt again since we had become accustomed to that system and although today things have improved, social media maintained our interaction completely.

Preparation plays a crucial role in confidence when speaking in public. Preparation helps reduce anxiety and helps the audience understand better. Personally, I have noticed that the most nervous I felt was when I was not well prepared or felt unsure of what I was going to talk about. When I prepared properly, I felt more confident in conveying my message and interacting with the audience. Therefore, preparation is key to overcoming the fear of public speaking. Since I was little, I was lucky enough to go to school where I was forced to give presentations all the time and today I feel that it is an art and I like to do it. Before presenting, I try to prepare everything, including what I am going to say, be clear about what I am going to talk about, and also read about the topic. It is useless to read something and present it without knowing what you are going to talk about, as it is essential to know the topic in order to be able to convey confidence and make the audience feel more attracted to us.

Lastly, practice makes perfect. The more opportunities we have to practice, the more comfortable we will become over time. Speaking in front of an audience, whether in formal or informal settings, provides valuable experience. Constructive criticism is also critical to improvement, it will lead us to understand how they interpreted it and if they did it as expected, and after listening to that fundamental point comes the self-criticism better known as analysis that will help us improve and see what we said to interpret it better next time. After giving a presentation, listening to comments from mentors, peers or audience members can provide insight into areas that can be improved.

In conclusion, public speaking is a skill that can be practiced, bringing many benefits in favor since we are the ones who say what to say and all of that goes with our confidence. By understanding the audience, organizing the content clearly, perfecting presentation techniques, and practicing regularly, anyone can become a confident speaker, no matter what they will say, the most valuable thing is to try until you master it. Knowing that everything is possible will help break the ice and little by little the doors will open for us, since how many opportunities have we let go just for not asking something simple? That's why I always say that everything is possible and that the key to success is to practice and then we will see the results. Like everything at the beginning, it is usually a challenge that with the passage of time we will improve by reinforcing the factors of confidence that will lead us to be able to express ourselves better, clarifying the idea and letting ourselves feel the feeling, as I always say the key is to practice. Everything can be overcome with preparation and dedication.