The Communication Series: Public Speaking, Assertiveness and Tips to Become a Confident Communicator
I stood in front of more than 100 people with a microphone right in front of me and all I could hear was silence.
The silence of all those people waiting for me to speak. The silence I had spent so much time dreading.
I could feel my skin growing hot, my hands were shaking and the silence somehow sounded like the loudest noise I'd ever heard.
That was the moment when I made an important choice. In the past, I had avoided public speaking for these very reasons: being on a stage with a microphone, feeling nervous, looking at a group of people who expected me to know just what to say and having absolutely no idea.
However, avoiding public speaking wasn't the choice I wanted to make anymore. I wanted to get through it (even if it wasn't perfect!) and I wanted to learn and grow from each experience.
I could tell you a hundred stories about my difficulties with communication. I'm an introvert who spent the majority of her youth trying not to talk too much, avoiding presentations, saying yes to many things I wanted to say no to and keeping my thoughts and opinions to myself.
Communication wasn't a skill which came easily for me and it's taken plenty of time and practice to learn how to be more assertive, to speak up in front of other people and to come out of my shell.
I created the mini-series about communication on my podcast, The Mindful Kind, because I wanted to share some of my experiences and normalise what people might be going through, while also sharing really practical strategies and tips I've learned about communication.
I really hope you enjoy exploring the series and using the free 20-page workbook, which is filled with interesting activities, tips and journaling prompts!
Below, you'll find The Communication Series of The Mindful Kind podcast, which you can also listen to via iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify from episodes 101 to 107.
Introduction to Communication
Listen to an introduction to communication on episode 101 of The Mindful Kind podcast here.
In this episode, you'll discover more about communication and the role it can play in our lives, as well as some tips for how to find someone to talk to when you might be feeling lonely.
How to be Assertive
Listen to episode 102 of The Mindful Kind podcast about assertiveness here.
This episode is all about assertiveness and you'll hear plenty of tips, such as knowing that it's ok to change your mind, learning to avoid "over-thinking" assertiveness, and more! You'll also learn about some important assertive rights!
Public Speaking Tips
Listen to all 15 of my public speaking tips on episode 103 of The Mindful Kind podcast here.
The third episode of the communication mini-series is all about public speaking, with ten tips for being a great presenter and five tips for managing stress. You'll hear about mnemonic devices, why it's important to breathe, ideas for keeping your audience engaged and heaps more:)
Encouraging Others to Communicate
This episode is all about creating safe and supportive spaces for other people to communicate more with you. If you've ever felt like you'd like to improve the communication between yourself and your loved ones, then this is the episode for you!
Simple Ways to Practice Communication
In this episode, you'll discover simple ways you can practice your communication skills, for example, by using social media and starting conversations with (friendly) strangers.
Communicating With Yourself
This episode is all about listening to your own thoughts, feelings and needs by using strategies like meditation and journaling. If you often find yourself squashing down your thoughts and emotions and you'd like to tune in more to your intuition, then this is a great episode for you!
Moving on From Challenging Communication
The final episode of the communication series is all about how to move forward from challenging communication situations, when you may be feeling sad, hurt, angry, or vulnerable.
Thank you so much for checking out The Mindful Kind mini-series about communication! I really hope you've enjoyed it and learned more about a range of different communication skills.
