AIESEC India, Author at AIESEC

5 ways to overcome your stage fear and nail your speech

A while ago I wrote a blog on “4 ways to improve your Communication Skills”, and many readers replied asking about how to overcome the stage fear or become a good public speaker.

So, let’s talk about it.

First of all, if you feel nervous when speaking in public, know that you’re not alone.

It’s estimated that as much as 75% of the Earth’s population struggles with a fear of public speaking. This implies that some 238 million people feel nervous about addressing others on stage.

These reports were released back in 2015. Over the past years, the number has increased with the growing population.

If you’re a part of this number, wouldn’t you appreciate learning how to love stage and spotlights instead, and nail public speaking?

I’m sure you would 😉

Learning to love addressing the audience on stage and being fond of it may seem like a distant goal. But, as they say, it all starts with a first step.

So let’s begin with that!

In this case, the first thing you must do is to remind yourself that the topic you’re passionate about is most likely also of interest to listeners. That’s why they are sitting in the audience. And they are listening to your content, not judging you or your orating skills.

Here are some “quick fixes” that you can use when stage fear comes to call.

1. Think right

Think the right thing: it isn’t about you! When we feel anxious before giving a speech what’s the first thing we really think?

“I’m awful at this”? “I can’t do it”? Or “this is not my thing, I’m not an extrovert person”?

If your answer was any of the above, it’s time to change that!

I know speech anxiety is pretty unpleasant and makes you focus on how awful you’re feeling, instead of what really matters: the response of your audience.

Put yourself in their shoes and think about what they’re hoping to get out of this presentation. What is more important to them? How good or fluent you speak, or what the content that you’re sharing?

It will always be the latter.

So relax, and focus on the knowledge you’re sharing.

2. Greet and smile at your audience

Do you get the same fear when you talk with your parents, siblings friends or someone you are familiar with? Not really, right?

This is because you share a bond with them, and so you have to do the same with the audience.

You have to make them believe that you’re here to connect with them and make a difference or impact their lives.

One of the most effective ways to feel like you have a relationship with your listeners (and therefore feel less anxious) is to take a moment to allow that to happen. You do that in your moment of greeting.

Charge yourself at this moment, letting listeners know that you really enjoy being there. Again, you too will feel it!

3. Let’s light the audience to enlighten them

Standing in a spotlight while addressing feels like standing alone in a harsh glare of light, where everyone notices your move.

But in reality, you’re not alone. All of those people who came to listen to you are not there to judge, but to learn. And they also might have a lot to contribute!

So why not give them the mic sometimes? Let the spotlight shine on them, for a change, and interact with your audience.

This will make you feel less alone, more connected and hence more comfortable 🙂

4. Don’t present the subject, talk about it

Put yourself in the shoes of the audience again and think about the speeches you loved.

Is it the 1-hour speech where the speaker presented without even interacting, or is the 2-minute speech with conversations with the speaker?

Latter one!

Speeches are loved when they are more conversational.

Your speech nerves come relatively from the thought that you’re there to give A SPEECH. In reality, you’ll just be talking to some human beings.

And you do that every day, don’t you? So why be so nervous this time?

5. Move around

When we’re in a state of fear, it releases adrenaline into our bloodstream. It’s called the “fight or flight” response because stress hormones push us to physically fight the threat, or get away fast.

As a result, we feel like we’re in a pressure cooker while speaking to a group.

If we stand stock-still, this pressure keeps building on. So, move around! Release the pressure. The best part is that when we move, the audience feels that we are relaxed.

Performance anxiety and stage fear are perfectly normal and it can be overcome.

Don’t fight your stage fear, work with it and you’ll surely rock your presentations! And remember: the best way to improve in anything is just by practicing it.

Let us know your opinions and how these tactics helped you, we’d love to know 🙂

Written by

Anisha Bhawanani is graduated in Marketing and Finance and loves writing. She is a happy go lucky girl with a head full of dreams, very passionate about traveling and exploring different cultures. One day she wants to win a man booker prize.

It’s okay not to have one true calling

“IT’S COMPLETELY POSSIBLE TO HAVE A LIFE WITH PLENTY OF VARIETY, THAT ALSO PROVIDES STABILITY.”

– EMILIE WAPNICK

Are you somebody who has multiple interests and passions? Are you jealous of people who have a clear-cut idea of what they want to do in their life? Did you find it hard to choose a major because you have so many interests?

Do you worry that you will never find your true calling? Or do you feel like you need a new calling?

If you answered yes, then welcome to the world of multipotentialites.

I first encountered this word when I watched a TEDx talk by Emilie Wapnick, about the challenges multipotentialites face and how to embrace them.

But first things first, what is a multipotentialite?

A multipotentialite has been defined as a person who has many different interests and creative pursuits in life. They do not have “one true calling.”

These people are usually full of artistic curiosity and can excel in two or more fields. Their interests span multiple areas and they often don’t want to “settle” in one field for good.

When I stumbled upon this term, I felt a great sense of relief.

In reality, I still feel restless sometimes, not because of “ having to become an expert at one thing” but more of “how can I do this, this, and that all at once?”

Being a multipotentialite adds so much more to life. It becomes a canvas and you can paint in oil, water, charcoal or whatever you want to. But you also don’t limit yourselves to that canvas – you go on painting on walls, wood, glass, leaf to feed that curiosity and explore different aspects of it.

How do I know? I happen to be one!

I am a biotechnology student, who loves traveling, writing, painting, and designing. Yet, I took up marketing along with HR as a department at AIESEC, where I happen to spend most of my time.

Adding to that, I also keep myself busy with the latest fashion trends and work on my photography page whenever I can. I haven’t stuck to any particular field, so I cannot say I am an expert or a specialist (in any)—words that the world loves.

As a person with multipotentiality, I thrive on learning, exploring, and mastering new skills.

Like innovators and problem solvers, the multi-passionate have an urge to discover anything and everything to satisfy their curiosity.

And so, they keep searching for that single purpose that will make them feel whole again.

While having the drive to learn new things and master new skills is a fantastic quality and strength to have, a lot of multi-passionate people struggle with finding a career that “fits” them for they have such wide range of interests.

This makes it hard to narrow down a specific career since there are so many choices that they can thrive in and leaves them often asking “what do I want to be when I grow up.”

Success doesn’t have to elude you because of your interest in so many areas.

Is the struggle starting to make sense?

Come let’s take a closer look at how you can manage your interests well and embrace your multipotentiality. 🙂

1. Trust that the dots connect.

Nothing ever goes to waste. The skills you learn along the way will help you in the future.

Who says you need a life calling anyway? The point of a true calling is to have a purpose, something that centers and drives you, a mission you’re working to accomplish.

The truth is, when it comes to passion, multipotentialites are serial daters, not the monogamists of the world 😉

So maybe you have a true love for a little while, and then, later on, you have another true love. Or maybe you have a couple of true loves at once.

You don’t have to adhere to the monogamy model to be fulfilled, be on target with your life or to do something great.

2. Take small steps.

“You need to be content with small steps. That’s all life is. Small steps that you take every day so when you look back down the road it all adds up and you know you covered some distance.” – Katie Kacvinsky

Especially when there are hundreds of things that you’d like to do, it helps to make a list. Write down your desires and start with one of them. That’s it. Don’t expect anything except the desire to learn.

When you feel saturated, stop and proceed to do the next thing on your list.

The list will grow and so will you. It’s the learning that counts.

3. Look for creative ways to contribute.

If you’re eager to explore more of your interests, consider turning some of them into a side gig. Think about the skills and interests you wish your job included. Is there a part-time, flexible job or an internship you can pick up that would use those? Or maybe a business you can start that taps into that?

The important thing is not to give up on your interests. Work on them whenever you are free. It’s like a meditation to free you from all the mental pressure and also makes you feel productive at the end of the day.

4. Connect with people who can relate.

Joining a like-minded community helps put things in perspective. Forums and websites like Puttylike, started by Emilie, can help you restore your confidence and help you do better.

In the end, it’s all about perspective. So choose to focus on your strengths. Success will surely follow.

“Some people see the glass half full. Others see it half empty. I see a glass that’s twice as big as it needs to be.”

– George Carlin

Being a multipotentialite doesn’t have to mean living an unstable life that constantly worries you, or continuing at a job that you don’t enjoy.

It’s also okay not to want to stay in one job or field forever. If you still feel the pull to explore some of your other interests, maybe it’s time to start thinking about a career change! 😉

We at AIESEC also provide various opportunities with startups where you can explore your interests and learn more along with the same like-minded people. Check them out!

Until then, tell us if you are a multipotentialite too. What are your current interests and how are you smooshing them all together? Share with us in the comments below!

If you liked this blog, you may also like: 5 things to keep in mind before giving up on your goals

How to Confront Problems and Take Bold Decisions

During the course of life, it wouldn’t be surprising to find yourself in the middle of situations you consider too hard to deal with. We consider not to confront problems and escape facing them.

These circumstances can be sudden and unpredicted or probably something you were aware of since the beginning.

Be it family, studies or job, friends, other commitments or responsibilities, we’re bound to be put in a loop of expectations. And this, at times, becomes even more pressurising.

Here is when the relevance of taking the right decisions comes in, an art we all are trying to master.

It can be for an opportunity you’ve come across and need direction for, or a difficulty or complication you’re trying to find a solution for. Anyway, know that you’re not alone.

We’ve all been there, and as difficult as it may seem, it’s just a matter of understanding and prioritizing. Always think beyond giving up.

Understand yourself, the context, the consequences. Once you have that clear, it’s easier to make a decision. Maybe it won’t be the best one, but that’s the beauty of making mistakes: you learn from them!

This is a space to help you.

Let’s step into how to confront a bothering problem, one thing at a time:

1. Know your situation well

Having complete knowledge about what’s bothering you should be a priority to improve understanding and reduce the complexity of the situation.

It can be done by asking self-reflection questions and introspecting in the right manner.

You may also try sitting down to journal or do a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis.

Understand that you hold all the answers within, you just need to seek them.

2. Be bold enough to try

Gaining a clarity on your problem can settle in most of the issue since you know the topic.

Every individual has their own way of thinking, which can make them have a unique perspective on things that matter to them. Despite the generalisation of the situation, they know that their instincts are calling out for something to act upon.

It’s here when most people fall out, by not taking a challenge and remaining too cosy in the comfort zone.

Trust your instincts and take the bold move. You never know how strong you may become, when you may inspire someone or build a movement.

3. Consider the consequence of not acting

The best manner to approach a difficulty is to use your skills to deal with it.

During the time of introspection, you already came across what works best for you. Now use your willpower and imagination to keep up with the motivation and manage stress.

Having strength is not an option, it’s a necessity to confront problems.

Not acting upon a problem can make you stay stuck in it till the consequences hit hard from the back. This can only worsen the situation and make it even harder to work upon.

So don’t stall it! Taking a decision to do something about it can guide you to resolve it.

Now, let’s understand some strategies to take big decisions for these problems:

“You’re never going to be 100% ready and it’s never going to be just the right time, but that’s the point. It means that every moment is also the right moment. If you want it, you just have to do it.

– Unknown”

4. Explore -Exploit trade-off

While making a settlement, we’re usually left with a number of options to choose from.

Be it deciding to pursue higher studies, go in for a job, or something as basic as choosing which topic to study first for the upcoming exam.

It’s advisable that you explore the opportunity, given that it’s new and you have a long duration of time to go for it. And you must exploit the information, given that it’s something you already have an idea about, or know that exists. Then you’re bound with a short time to take the decision.

Also known as the explore-exploit trade-off strategy, it helps to execute the analytical side of the brain and take calculative resolutions.

5. The idea of minimalism to confront problems

We hold on to a lot of materialistic possessions, be it tangible or mental, thinking that someday they might be of some good use to us. So we store these items in the drawers, cupboard, wardrobe or hold these memories in places, objects, fragrances and don’t wish to let them go.

The idea of minimalism is to give your life a positive revamp, decluttering things that are of no more worth to you.

Speaking of the mind, it helps in situations when we hold ourselves back, or probably when we carry baggage in our hearts.

The approach is to dispose-off anything that hasn’t served your purpose in the recent six months, for might never be relevant in future as well. Removing the least used items makes space for the important things, which become easily accessible to you.

Speaking of the mind, it helps you do what makes the most sense in the least amount of time, and confront problems.

6. Being fearless to make mistakes

“And now go, make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes.”- Neil Gaiman

Sometimes, putting in fewer efforts for a critical decision, can help you release stress, relax more and take a calm, more self-aware and practical move.

Taking risks and chances at times can take you to another journey of adventure and might bring out the hidden parts of you, you never thought existed.

It’s alright to eliminate options that are not a priority, so the ones which are getting more attention and focus.

Being fearless to make mistakes can help you gain mental stability and courage to become brave and bold, even when life hits hard.

Becoming an everyday leader is not hard, but it’s always a conscious option.

While you choose to stand tall amidst a storm or take a move nobody expects you to, you become a better version of who you really are.

Know that you’re bold enough to confront problems and take the right decisions!

Did this article help you? Have you ever taken any of these points into consideration when you had to make a decision?

Share with us in the comments!

If you liked this text, you may also enjoy reading: This story will change your perception about problems

Written by

Vanyashree Chaudhary is a light-hearted Journalism student from Delhi. She’s crazy about her love for graphic designing, Oreo shakes and Daft Punk. Find her the happiest while she’s travelling!

4 Reasons Why Learning A Second Language Is Important

“To have a second language is to have a second soul.”

– Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor

It can be intriguing at times, you know, to think why knowing a new language can be of any use. You could think: “what’s the point if the one I’m reading right now will soon become the universal medium of communication?”

English as the undisputed global language, is diverse in itself, easy to comprehend, widely vocal and written, and well, in our curriculum!

It’s the language of the internet. It’s an intelligent channel of thought, culture, and unity.

But what might be little bothersome is the fact that a language dies every 14 days, and if we keep neglecting our native speech, it might become one of them.

Every new language teaches something, and here’s why we should make the most of it:

1. A language drives the way we think

“Language is a uniquely human gift, central to our experience of being human.”

– Lera Boroditsky, Cognitive Scientist, Psychologist and Linguist

We as humans are known to have opinions, thoughts, mindsets and even behaviors relative to the situations or environments we are put in.

That is not different when it comes to the language we speak. Our mode of communication, the literal language we speak can influence our thoughts and actions!

Surprised?

Here’s something even more interesting.

If you didn’t know, something as basic as the use of grammatical gender in a language can shape the way we look at things.

And this is actually well researched at Stanford University!

For example, a community in Australia uses specific cardinal directions in their daily language.

Like “You’re reading this blog from north to south.”

The best part about talking in this manner is that the people stay aligned and oriented in their lives.

Hence, a second language can shape how you think and can influence your small acts.

2. A new speech imbibes a new culture

Getting to know, comprehend and speak a different language can help you gain enormous clarity on the culture of the place.

The way people word stress while speaking makes you understand their thoughts, perceptions and reasoning. So once you gain a pattern of their ideas, you also get more knowledge about their culture.

It’s that simple.

Languages are a lot of fun as well. Like ‘Fahrt’ in German actually means ‘a trip’ in English.

The idea of having multiple languages, that too in one nation, is creative. It influences the way people experience their lives.

Personally, we consider a speech as a celebration of diversity and talent.

3. We become effective multitaskers

Switching to another language while speaking makes us exercise our analytical skills and become empathetic.

It helps in enhanced communication since what a person might not grasp in Language A, might get it better in Language B or C.

Once a habit, this mental repetition also invites wisdom and generally avoids miscommunication.

People who utilize their logical capacity more often become better at handling more than one task at a time, inviting efficiency and productivity.

Bilingual people are less likely to be affected by Alzheimer’s as well.

What might simply seem linguistic may have relations with psychology and science.

4. We can stand out in the job market

The more international languages we know, the more we reflect as a world citizen on our CV.

There are always certain companies which search for multilingual candidates.

This helps you in getting diverse and interesting job roles!

With knowing more languages also comes the idea of understanding more cultures.

Hence, your ideas can be welcomed at your workplace.

As you can see, there are multiple reasons why it can be extremely relevant for the youth to learn a second language.

We become better world citizens, multicultural and keep the native languages alive for generations to follow.

Knowing more than one language can be an art of mastering life and dealing with intrinsic realities better.

So now, let’s actually mind our language and learn a new one!

Do you already know a language you wish to keep it immortal? Good news is you can do it by spreading it to the world! And in return, you might just learn a whole new language as well.

Explore our opportunities for interning abroad here!

Written by

5 Creative Ways of Sustainable Living

We are all aware of most of the problems that exist in our ‘sustainable’ world, so connecting to these issues isn’t a hard task.

Poverty, hunger, poor health and education, lack of sanitation, climate change… These topics have been present in our daily lives and are increasing a lot.

And it’s been a while that many talks, debates and discussions continue to revolve around them.

But you know, only once someone levels up their motivation to take an actual action is when they initiate the rise of a hiding hero within them.

And let’s face it, a transformation is the need of the hour.

So why not bring in some exciting sustainable changes in our lifestyles, and actually leave a contribution to our planet?

Sustainable living comes to replacing basic habits or changing the way you do things for a more eco-friendly life.

And there are a lot of things, from small acts to big ones, that one can do.

Here are some of the basic acts of kindness you can do for the environment:

1. Keeping bird feeders and water holders in the balcony

News often addresses that electromagnetic radiations and emissions from mobile towers severely affect the bird population.

To bring back the chirping of sparrows in our neighbourhoods, it’s always good to keep bowls of pulses and water to reduce the struggle of these beautiful aerial animals around us.

It helps them deal with the scorching heat and survive.

2. Make a small kitchen garden for fruits, flowers and butterflies

One of the most effective methods to reduce food waste would be to grow food where you live.

Planting such seeds in your own home would assure organic food with higher nutritional value.

It will be free from the pollution of insecticides and pesticides, and would freely invite shelter for butterflies and squirrels.

It will also reduce your dependence on plastic-wrapped packaged food, hence saving waste to the environment.

3. Use of glass, steel or brass items

Once plastic bottles enter your garbage, it will probably end up harming aquatic lives.

If we have alternatives to not affect other living beings, then why not to adopt them?

We always have the option to switch to ceramic jars for storing food, using glass or steel water bottles and even opting for bamboo or steel straws.

Not only is better for the environment, but also for us. For real.

Food captured in plastic materials, once consumed, alters with our molecular structures to cause stress, the excess of which can even cause cancer.

4. Making compost pits for sustainable wet waste

Managing and segregating waste intelligently can make you a sustainable, smart and efficient leader.

Separate the wet waste with dry waste, and use it to generate organic compost or manure for your kitchen garden.

It’s always better than letting the wet waste food smell in dump yards and add to pollution and sickness for people around.

For garbage bins, it’s also advisable to replace the big black plastic bags with newspapers.

5. Implementing the golden mantra of ‘reuse’

We are all familiar with the concept of turning one thing in another and reusing it.

But apart from that, we also usually have things that can be handed over to people who can make better use of them.

For example, you can make up some space in our shelves or cupboards to store in newspapers, cardboards, magazines and journals and sell them to kabadiwala.

Make some money for your next book maybe?

People also repurpose the wood used in old doors to make new aesthetic cupboards or items for home decor.

This can get you to exercise minimalism for a more productive and clutter-free life.

Creativity is all it needs to be more sustainable and it can be implemented anywhere.

It just requires the right mind, a willing heart and some efforts.

Living sustainably can help save other living beings. They deserve to have a good taste of life, as much as we do.

For the better of the self and the future, let’s care and do this!

Do you have more ideas on how to be sustainable? Share with us in the comments!

You can also expand your acts of kindness by volunteering with us.

Written by