Thursday, April 30, 2026
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Transform Stress into Confidence: Conquering Public Speaking Anxiety

By aimee yang
Transform Stress into Confidence: Conquering Public Speaking Anxiety

I just came back from Seattle. I gave a talk about speaking skills to people at Microsoft. The event organizers asked if I wanted to practice my talk the night before. I said yes because I like to practice under ‘good stress.’

Good stress helps you do better. Bad stress makes you feel anxious and can cause problems like sweaty hands and a fast heartbeat.

To feel more confident and less anxious, try to have more good stress and less bad stress.

Research shows that practicing under a little stress helps you feel ready when you perform. When you practice with some pressure, real performances feel easier.

At Microsoft, I practiced in the same room where I would speak. This helped me learn important things:

  • It was recorded by a film crew.
  • My screen was on my left side.
  • Some video sound needed to be louder.
  • I had to control the microphone carefully.
  • I used a different clicker for my slides.
  • I saw my slides on a monitor in front of me.

Practicing helped me feel confident and have fun. If you practice often, you will also feel good about your presentations.

Test Your Understanding

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Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON

Accent

Confidence/ˈkɒn.fɪ.dəns/noun
The feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.

Anxious/ˈæŋk.ʃəs/adjective
Experiencing worry unease or nervousness.

Performance/pərˈfɔːr.məns/noun
The act of presenting a play concert or other form of entertainment.

Pressure/ˈprɛʃ.ər/noun
The continuous physical force exerted on or against an object.

Organizers/ˈɔːr.ɡə.nɪ.zərs/noun
People who arrange and coordinate an event or activity.

Practice/ˈpræk.tɪs/verb
To perform an activity or exercise repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain proficiency.
Vocabulary Learning

How much do you know?

Why did the speaker practice their talk the night before?
To reduce anxiety
To experience good stress
To have fun
To meet the event organizers
What can bad stress cause?
Increased confidence
Sweaty hands
Improved speaking skills
Relaxed heartbeat
According to research, how does practicing under a little stress help?
It increases anxiety
It improves performance readiness
It causes panic attacks
It hampers real performances
Where did the speaker practice at Microsoft?
In the same room as the event organizers
In a different building
In front of the Microsoft team
In the room where they would speak
What did the speaker see on their left side during practice?
Their own reflection
A blank wall
Their slides on the screen
The film crew recording
What did the speaker use to control their slides?
Microphone
Clicker
Monitor
Laptop
Good stress can help you perform better.
Practicing under pressure can make real performances feel harder.
The speaker practiced in a room different from where they would speak.
The speaker encountered technical issues during practice.
Practicing helps build confidence.
The event organizers did not offer the speaker a chance to practice before the event.
Practicing under good stress helps you do .
The speaker saw their slides on a monitor in of them.
Research shows that practicing under a little stress helps you feel when you perform.
To feel more confident and less anxious, try to have more good stress and less bad .
The speaker used a different clicker for their .
Practicing helps the speaker feel and have fun.
This question is required
aimee yang
aimee yanghttps://esl-news.com

Test Your Understanding

Start Quiz
Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON
Accent
Confidence/ˈkɒn.fɪ.dəns/noun
The feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.
Anxious/ˈæŋk.ʃəs/adjective
Experiencing worry unease or nervousness.
Performance/pərˈfɔːr.məns/noun
The act of presenting a play concert or other form of entertainment.
Pressure/ˈprɛʃ.ər/noun
The continuous physical force exerted on or against an object.
Organizers/ˈɔːr.ɡə.nɪ.zərs/noun
People who arrange and coordinate an event or activity.
Practice/ˈpræk.tɪs/verb
To perform an activity or exercise repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain proficiency.
Vocabulary Learning

How much do you know?

Why did the speaker practice their talk the night before?
To reduce anxiety
To experience good stress
To have fun
To meet the event organizers
What can bad stress cause?
Increased confidence
Sweaty hands
Improved speaking skills
Relaxed heartbeat
According to research, how does practicing under a little stress help?
It increases anxiety
It improves performance readiness
It causes panic attacks
It hampers real performances
Where did the speaker practice at Microsoft?
In the same room as the event organizers
In a different building
In front of the Microsoft team
In the room where they would speak
What did the speaker see on their left side during practice?
Their own reflection
A blank wall
Their slides on the screen
The film crew recording
What did the speaker use to control their slides?
Microphone
Clicker
Monitor
Laptop
Good stress can help you perform better.
Practicing under pressure can make real performances feel harder.
The speaker practiced in a room different from where they would speak.
The speaker encountered technical issues during practice.
Practicing helps build confidence.
The event organizers did not offer the speaker a chance to practice before the event.
Practicing under good stress helps you do .
The speaker saw their slides on a monitor in of them.
Research shows that practicing under a little stress helps you feel when you perform.
To feel more confident and less anxious, try to have more good stress and less bad .
The speaker used a different clicker for their .
Practicing helps the speaker feel and have fun.
This question is required

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