Amanda Alfonso

 

From Nervous to Confident: 5 Tips That Helped Me Improve 

Sweaty hands, racing heart, and feeling that you might pass out? That is how public speaking used to feel for me. Even if it was through a camera, knowing that more people were going to watch me instantly made me feel anxious. Trying to share my ideas clearly seemed like a huge challenge. 

I used to think confidence was something you were born with. Some people spoke easily, and others didn’t. I believed I was in the second group, so I avoided public speaking whenever I could.

This course and the group presentations changed how I thought about public speaking. Slowly, I learned new tools and strategies that made me feel more comfortable. I’m not perfect now, but I’ve improved a lot. Here are five tips that helped me improve my public speaking skills, based on my experience in this course.

1. Practice and preparation are key

The first thing I learned is that being prepared really helps. When I research my topic, organize my ideas, and practice several times before presenting, I feel less nervous. Preparation helps me feel more in control.

I used to just read my slides and hope things went well. Now, I try to really understand my topic. When you know your subject, it’s easier to explain it in your own words, and your speech sounds more natural.

Practicing also helps me find the right pace and tone. Sometimes I practice alone, sometimes I record myself, and sometimes I practice in front of friends. Each time I practice, I feel more prepared. Nothing helps more than being ready.

My Experience: Because the course was online, my presentation was done on Zoom. Before presenting, I checked my internet connection to make sure everything was working smoothly. Knowing that technical problems could make me more nervous, I wanted to be prepared

2. Know your audience

Another important lesson was to focus on the audience. At first, I only thought about myself and worried about making mistakes or forgetting what to say. That just made me more stressed.

Things changed when I started thinking about the people listening. I asked myself simple questions: What do they already know? What do they need to understand my topic? How can I explain it clearly?

Changing my language, tone, and examples helped me connect better with the audience. I learned that people listen in different ways. Some like examples, others prefer facts. Keeping this in mind made my presentations work better.

My Experience: I also knew that my audience would be my classmates. They were students like me, and they also had to present. This helped me feel a little calmer, because I knew they could understand how I felt. Thinking about my classmates helped me choose simple language and explain my ideas clearly.

3. Listen and adapt

One skill that surprised me was learning to listen while speaking. During my presentations, I started watching the audience’s faces and reactions.

When I see confused faces, I know I should explain again or slow down. When people look interested, I feel more confident to keep going. This helps me adjust my presentation as I speak. It's always the same. I want people to understand me. When I focus on this instead of my fear, I feel calmer. Public speaking becomes less about me and more about communication.

My Experience: Because the presentation was on Zoom, I could not always see my classmates’ faces clearly. Even so, I tried to adapt by speaking slowly and clearly. I paid attention to my own voice and made sure my ideas were easy to understand. This helped me stay calm and focused during the presentation.

4. Use visuals: pictures, graphs, and videos

Visuals helped me a lot in my presentations. Using pictures, graphs, and videos made them more interesting and easier to follow.

I noticed that when I used colors and images related to my topic, people paid attention longer. Graphs and statistics also helped explain things clearly. They made my message stronger and more believable.

When visuals match your words, the audience understands better and trusts your message more.

My Experience: During the presentation, I relied a lot on my PowerPoint. My slides helped guide me and reminded me of what to say next. Having visuals made me feel more secure, and they also helped my classmates follow my ideas more easily.

5. Believe in yourself

The last tip is the most important: Believing in yourself and your message changes everything. Confidence grows with time and practice. When you know your topic well, you feel more comfortable speaking about it. You’re also more ready to answer questions and explain your ideas.

My Experience: We were group one, so we had to present first. At the beginning, I felt very nervous, but it was also exciting because we were breaking the ice. After I started speaking, I realized I could do it. This experience helped me believe more in myself and in my ability to speak in front of others.

Every presentation is a new experience. Even when I make mistakes, I learn something. Little by little, I feel more confident and comfortable speaking in front of others. Public speaking used to be one of my biggest fears. It’s still challenging, but now I don’t want to avoid it. This course showed me that confidence isn’t about being perfect. It’s about trying, practicing, and believing in yourself.

I also learned that feeling nervous is normal, and it does not mean you are failing. Everyone feels fear at some point, especially when speaking in front of others. What matters is not letting that fear stop you from trying. This course helped me step out of my comfort zone and face something that scared me. Now, when I feel nervous, I remind myself that I am learning. Each presentation, even a small one, helps me grow. I know I still have things to improve, but I feel proud of how far I have come.

If I can improve, anyone can. With time, patience, and practice, public speaking gets easier.