Wednesday, April 29, 2026
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Overcome Public Speaking Anxiety with Positive Stress

By aimee yang
Overcome Public Speaking Anxiety with Positive Stress

I went to Seattle to teach people at Microsoft how to speak convincingly. Before the event, I practiced my speech in the same room. This helps me get used to the stress of speaking in front of people. Good stress makes you perform better, while bad stress can make you nervous.

To feel more confident and less anxious when speaking in public, it’s good to practice under a little bit of stress. Research shows that learning how to handle pressure can prevent mistakes during important moments.

Add Stress to Manage Nerves

Practicing under a small amount of stress helps you feel calm when it’s time to perform. It’s like practicing swimming in the ocean before actually swimming in the ocean—not in a pool.

When I rehearsed at Microsoft, I learned important things about the setup. Knowing these details ahead of time helped me feel more relaxed and enjoy the presentation.

By practicing under a little stress, I felt less nervous and more prepared for the real event. So, if you have an important speech coming up, make sure to practice with a little bit of stress to boost your confidence!

Test Your Understanding

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Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON

Accent

Convincingly/kənˈvɪn.sɪŋ.li/adverb
In a way that causes someone to believe that something is true.

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

Pressure/ˈprɛʃər/noun
The exertion of force upon an object.

Rehearsed/rɪˈhɪrst/verb
Practiced a speech performance or presentation ahead of time.

Relaxed/rɪˈlæksd/adjective
Free from tension and anxiety.

Prepared/prɪˈpɛrd/adjective
Ready for what is to come or for a specific purpose.
Vocabulary Learning

How much do you know?

Why does practicing under a little bit of stress help in public speaking?
It helps in performing better
It makes you more nervous
It decreases confidence
It has no effect
What can prevent mistakes during important moments, according to research?
Practicing under high stress
Learning how to handle pressure
Avoiding practice under stress
Not preparing at all
Why is it compared to swimming in the ocean in the content?
To highlight the importance of swimming
To emphasize the need for a pool
To relate it to a common experience
To discourage public speaking
What did the speaker learn about the setup when rehearsing at Microsoft?
Nothing important
Irrelevant details
Important details
Setup information was not mentioned
How did practicing under stress affect the speaker’s nerves?
Increased nervousness
No change in nerves
Less nervous and more prepared
Made the speaker overly relaxed
What is the recommended approach for boosting confidence before an important speech?
Avoid all stress
Practice without stress
Practice with a little bit of stress
Overwhelm oneself with stress
Practicing under a small amount of stress can help in feeling calm when performing.
Research shows that bad stress is beneficial for public speaking.
The speaker felt more nervous after practicing under a little stress.
It is recommended to avoid practicing under stress before an important presentation.
Handling pressure can prevent mistakes during critical moments.
Practicing speech in the actual event room is advised for reducing anxiety.
By practicing under a little stress, the speaker felt less and more prepared for the real event.
Practicing under stress helps in boosting before important speeches.
Research suggests that learning to handle pressure can prevent mistakes during critical .
Knowing important details about the presentation setup ahead of time helps in feeling more .
The speaker went to Microsoft to teach people how to speak .
Practicing under a small amount of stress is compared to practicing swimming in the before doing it in the ocean.
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
Convincingly/kənˈvɪn.sɪŋ.li/adverb
In a way that causes someone to believe that something is true.
Anxious/ˈæŋk.ʃəs/adjective
Experiencing worry or unease.
Pressure/ˈprɛʃər/noun
The exertion of force upon an object.
Rehearsed/rɪˈhɪrst/verb
Practiced a speech performance or presentation ahead of time.
Relaxed/rɪˈlæksd/adjective
Free from tension and anxiety.
Prepared/prɪˈpɛrd/adjective
Ready for what is to come or for a specific purpose.
Vocabulary Learning

How much do you know?

Why does practicing under a little bit of stress help in public speaking?
It helps in performing better
It makes you more nervous
It decreases confidence
It has no effect
What can prevent mistakes during important moments, according to research?
Practicing under high stress
Learning how to handle pressure
Avoiding practice under stress
Not preparing at all
Why is it compared to swimming in the ocean in the content?
To highlight the importance of swimming
To emphasize the need for a pool
To relate it to a common experience
To discourage public speaking
What did the speaker learn about the setup when rehearsing at Microsoft?
Nothing important
Irrelevant details
Important details
Setup information was not mentioned
How did practicing under stress affect the speaker’s nerves?
Increased nervousness
No change in nerves
Less nervous and more prepared
Made the speaker overly relaxed
What is the recommended approach for boosting confidence before an important speech?
Avoid all stress
Practice without stress
Practice with a little bit of stress
Overwhelm oneself with stress
Practicing under a small amount of stress can help in feeling calm when performing.
Research shows that bad stress is beneficial for public speaking.
The speaker felt more nervous after practicing under a little stress.
It is recommended to avoid practicing under stress before an important presentation.
Handling pressure can prevent mistakes during critical moments.
Practicing speech in the actual event room is advised for reducing anxiety.
By practicing under a little stress, the speaker felt less and more prepared for the real event.
Practicing under stress helps in boosting before important speeches.
Research suggests that learning to handle pressure can prevent mistakes during critical .
Knowing important details about the presentation setup ahead of time helps in feeling more .
The speaker went to Microsoft to teach people how to speak .
Practicing under a small amount of stress is compared to practicing swimming in the before doing it in the ocean.
This question is required

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