Getting Nervous Before You Speak

Getting nervous before a big event is perfectly normal. However, if your nerves cause you to be physically ill or to avoid certain situations, it may be best if you deal with it.
You may become nervous when you are put on the spot to give information about something you are not familiar with. One way to overcome this is to preface your comments with something like "I would love to share more information on this with you at a later time when I am more prepared".
If you are making a presentation or giving a speech, you may become nervous for days before you are scheduled to speak. Practice your material as often as you can during this time and you will find that you are less nervous each time you practice. When you speak live in front of a group you will have your presentation down cold and are less likely to be as nervous.
Becoming nervous can show itself it many forms. You may get a stomach or headache, have diarrhea, or snap at your loved ones. If this is occurring, sit down and calmly think about why this may be happening. It could be that you were laughed at as a child or humiliated as an adult in front of friends or coworkers. If this is what happened to you, tell yourself that it is different now and that you are in control of what you do in your life.
Working through your nerves is much better than creative avoidance. That is when you make excuses and completely avoid the situation that might make you nervous.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Connie_Ragen_Green