Do you struggle with your nerves when you give formal presentations? Let me help you relax before your next public speaking engagement with this simple neck and shoulder activity. It is a great way to instill calm, loosen up the vocal cords and get the most from your voice, too. 

Video Transcript:

Public speaking can generate nervousness for many people, plain and simple.

How we manage our nerves is what makes the difference between a skilled communicator and a less skilled communicator.

The Social Anxiety Institute actually says there's a condition whereby people become afraid of unfamiliar environments or speaking to unknown people.

Public speaking can fall into that category.

As a communication skills coach, I have a lot of tools to help you with your nerves.

But today's communication skills principle is all about relaxation.

Hopefully, you've already seen my breathing exercise.

Deep breathing is one way to start to generate relaxation.

However, there's actual techniques you can use and I take them from my days as an actor.

We're going to work on the neck and the shoulders.

Because when you can relax this region, it helps with your voice and it helps with your nerves.

Take a breath.

Relax.

Now, I want you to notice, I want you to imagine that there's a pencil on your head.

All right, there's a pencil on your head.

You're standing well.

I want you to draw imaginary circles on the ceiling.

Still breathing.

You can go the other way if you want.

This movement is gentle, I'm going to show you again.

It's not a stressed movement.

I'm breathing, I imagine a pencil on my head, and I do small circles on the ceiling.

Now, if I want I could do a little bigger movement.

Imagine I'm making the number eight.

I'm breathing, I'm moving my shoulders.

This is about relaxation.

When we lay in bed at night and we go to relax, we move around.

You have to move around to relax.

You could do a few forward shoulder rolls, a few backward shoulder rolls.

But the tip today is plain and simple.

You put a pencil on your head, you rotate, you breathe, a figure eight with your head, and maybe some movements with your shoulder.

That's all it takes.

Being more relaxed when we speak helps us sound more authentic, feel more authentic, more trusting, more confident.

In the end, that helps us to show our leadership skills.

Take some time to relax before your next presentation, and come back for my next communication skills principle.

Thank you so much for watching.

Remember to like, to share, to subscribe to the by Jill Diamond channel, and I'll see you next time.