Public Health Educator,but I'm so afraid of public speaking ?Need advice.

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm researching different Health related careers and I came across Public Health not too long ago.It sounds like something I might enjoy,but I'm so afraid of speaking in public.I can't let this hold me back though.I remember being so afraid to speak in front of my classmates in speech class (in college) even though they weren't intimidating.At the end of the semester,I was one of the best speakers in the class and I earned a A for the course.My professor along with other people have told me that I'm articulate and that I had "poise." I want to use these traits and maybe even develop them even more.Like I previously mentioned in my other threads,I'm into Health,NOT Technology,Art,Law or Business.I interact welll with others,although I'm not very talkative.I wouldn't say I was shy,just reserved :-).I don't know why I am so afraid to speak or read aloud in public.I think I have some type of medical condition like anxiety or something.I have prehypertension and I'm only in my 20's.Any advice? Does this job sound suitable for me ?

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Specializes in Long term care-geriatrics.

Anything that has to do with education means you will probably have to teach and be up front with a lot of other people. I suggest to get over your fear is go do it. The more I stood up and did Nursing assistant training classes the more comfortable I felt in talking to a group of people. I also sing at church. Just go do it. No one will say anything negative and if they do, let them do class.

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I say go for it!! The only thing to fear is fear itself: False Expectations Appearing Real! If this is what your heart desires...do it. Best of luck!!

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Anything that has to do with education means you will probably have to teach and be up front with a lot of other people. I suggest to get over your fear is go do it. The more I stood up and did Nursing assistant training classes the more comfortable I felt in talking to a group of people. I also sing at church. Just go do it. No one will say anything negative and if they do, let them do class.

Easier said than done ! lol I know I'll be more comfortable later on,but the beginning will probable be a disaster :D

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I say go for it!! The only thing to fear is fear itself: False Expectations Appearing Real! If this is what your heart desires...do it. Best of luck!!

Thank you ! This is the perfect time to adapt this quote into my life lol

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Specializes in ER, Trauma.

People fear public speaking because they fear ridicule from the audience. Stop and think about anytime you've watched a public speaker, what were you thinking? The answer is that you wanted them to do a good job and had no intention of ridiculing them. It's universal. I got over my fear of public speaking by teaching CPR while remembering that everybody there was on my side. It made me relax and talk to the audience as my friends, and everybody had a good time.

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Public speaking is, like anything else, a learnable skill. The more you do it, the better you get at it. Now, with that said....

1) If you know you want to it, then go for it. While it may be tempting to pick a job that may seem easy, potentially earn a lot of money, have some prestige associated with it, etc. - the best job is the one you like doing the most. No job is likely to be perfect either. You will run into not-so-glamorous moments and/or people, but caring about your job is what will provide resilience to those moments. If you are doing a job you really care about, it will show...and people around you will notice you...in a good way.

2) If you are looking for public speaking experience, there are ways to do it. Toastmasters is a public group that is dedicated to public speaking. You might also find variations of that on-line, or through local community organizations...Rotary, Lions Club, Kiwanis, etc. Although more indirect, you might be able to build your skills with joining or leading activities within these groups. You can also volunteer to work at a phone bank for charity, get a telemarketing job - part time, or work for organizations that canvass door-to-door. You could volunteer at a local library to present your material free as a workshop...local community centers might be interested, depending on your topic. You'd get practice putting together a little program...and try out things for small groups....You could try going to a local place to try kareoke....there are many ways to get out there, but you have to pick what you think what will work for you.

-Drew

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Public speaking is, like anything else, a learnable skill. The more you do it, the better you get at it. Now, with that said....

1) If you know you want to it, then go for it. While it may be tempting to pick a job that may seem easy, potentially earn a lot of money, have some prestige associated with it, etc. - the best job is the one you like doing the most. No job is likely to be perfect either. You will run into not-so-glamorous moments and/or people, but caring about your job is what will provide resilience to those moments. If you are doing a job you really care about, it will show...and people around you will notice you...in a good way.

2) If you are looking for public speaking experience, there are ways to do it. Toastmasters is a public group that is dedicated to public speaking. You might also find variations of that on-line, or through local community organizations...Rotary, Lions Club, Kiwanis, etc. Although more indirect, you might be able to build your skills with joining or leading activities within these groups. You can also volunteer to work at a phone bank for charity, get a telemarketing job - part time, or work for organizations that canvass door-to-door. You could volunteer at a local library to present your material free as a workshop...local community centers might be interested, depending on your topic. You'd get practice putting together a little program...and try out things for small groups....You could try going to a local place to try kareoke....there are many ways to get out there, but you have to pick what you think what will work for you.

-Drew

Thanks for your advice.They say practice makes perfect so I guess I will need to do a lot of practicing.I'm already nervous just thinking about it lol.I think this is a field I might enjoy.I'm not too crazy about the salary though.BLS stated the the salary can range from $33,000 to 56,000.I'll make more working at a hospital.I'll never come out of my shell if I keep shying away from putting myself out there.This will be a good change for me.

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People fear public speaking because they fear ridicule from the audience. Stop and think about anytime you've watched a public speaker, what were you thinking? The answer is that you wanted them to do a good job and had no intention of ridiculing them. It's universal. I got over my fear of public speaking by teaching CPR while remembering that everybody there was on my side. It made me relax and talk to the audience as my friends, and everybody had a good time.

Not only that.I fear that my presentation will bore my audience ! I also don't like it when it's totally silent,all eyes are on you and all you hear is your own voice.I'm not comfortable with that type of attention.My speech professor once told us that it's best if we just look straight ahead and not to look directly at anyone.Once I get up and present my speech,I totally forget all the tips I was given.I start breathing rapidly,trying to grasp for air....it's a total disaster.I wonder if having pre-hypertension has anything to do with this.

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Specializes in M/S, ICU, ICP.

follow your passion and realize that when you are talking about something you love it will be much easier than you think. i too have public speaking phobia but as i have learned about my field of practice, i have grown to love it even more. i feel much more comfortable too because i have learned a great deal from back when i first started. now when i have an opportunity to share (i don't really call it speaking or teaching) i open my mouth and my passion flows out.

if you do what you love, and love what you do .... then it is like a person with a new girlfriend or boyfriend. the topic will just come tumbling out without any worries because it is something you are enthusiastic about. good luck.

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Two suggestions:

1) Join Toastmasters.

2) See your doc.

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Specializes in ER, Trauma.
Not only that.I fear that my presentation will bore my audience ! I also don't like it when it's totally silent,all eyes are on you and all you hear is your own voice.I'm not comfortable with that type of attention.My speech professor once told us that it's best if we just look straight ahead and not to look directly at anyone.Once I get up and present my speech,I totally forget all the tips I was given.I start breathing rapidly,trying to grasp for air....it's a total disaster.I wonder if having pre-hypertension has anything to do with this.

Been there, done that. I don't get up and lecture, I talk with the audience, make a joke...even something corny to break the ice. If need be I tell how the information I'm presenting has impacted my or somebody Else's life. Even if you bore the audience, they'll just go to sleep. Many very famous actors even take a dose of Inderal for stage fright. I hear what you're saying, and I was at least as bad. You can overcome this with less practice than you think. Make sure you know the material, practice beforehand, and get on stage and let loose. Use the audience for your own entertainment. Somebody usually has something useful to add. If they stump you, just tell them you'll research it and get back to them. If you just don't want to overcome this, just avoid it. Don't make excuses. You're no different than everybody else who had stage fright. Either put a little work in to conquer it, or admit defeat and move on. The choice is yours, nobody can do it for you. Just don't stay all stressed about it like you are now. Make a decision.

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