Calm Your Anxiety Before Your Meeting in 4 Minutes

Do you get nervous before presenting in a meeting? Listen to this 4 minute pep talk before your meeting to calm your nerves and feel empowered to perform at your best. In this talk, you’ll learn how to manage difficult questions, lower your anxiety, and increase your confidence and focus. We’ll end with a centering body scan and courageous affirmations that will set you up for success.

This meditation is designed for people who have anxiety presenting in front of others in work settings or for anyone presenting in front of an audience.

Motivational talk written by Pamela Pawelski, LCSW.

Transcript

My name is Pamela Puelsky, And I'm a licensed clinical social worker and therapist. This is a quick pep talk to prepare you for your work meeting. By lowering your anxiety and raising your confidence. Perhaps you're the person who is leading a meeting. Or maybe you're just speaking during a portion of the meeting. Either way, I'm going to help you feel centered, Confident, And ready to present your best self. At this meeting, You probably have something important to share with your audience. It's important to remember that you are the expert here. No one knows this information better than you do. Your audience is here to learn from you. The key thing here is that no one wants you to fail. They want you to succeed. People are in this meeting to learn from you. And they want you to do well. I know what you're thinking. You're worried about people asking questions that you don't know the answers to. That's okay. Let's think about our options. We always have options. We don't have to be stuck. Think about different ways you can respond to challenging questions and write them down. For example, If someone asks you a question that you don't know the answer to, Respond with. Sarah, That's a great question. I'm going to do some research and get back to you. Mike, Thanks for asking that question. It's a little out of scope from what we're discussing right now. But I'll circle back with you later. Take the pressure off of you to answer correctly in that moment. You don't have to have all the answers. That's OK. Put a pin in it and stay on course. Another fear you might have is, What are people going to think of me? They're going to think I'm stupid, Or I don't know what I'm talking about. It's important to remember that this meeting is not a judging panel. No one is grading your content. We're not in school. We're all adults. We all have flaws. The people in this meeting are here to hear what you have to say. And that's it. And most of them are rooting for you. The others aren't even listening. Don't focus on what they're going to think about you. Instead, Focus on what you want to share with them. Focus on the knowledge you're imparting on them. When you focus on the content you're teaching them, You won't have time to worry about what they're thinking. Focus on the content. Let that be your guide. Lastly, Before your meeting, Practice power poses in the mirror. Or on the privacy of your bathroom stall. Chest out, Chin up. Legs apart. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, Feel power radiating. From the top of your head, Down to the soles of your feet. Maybe there's a superhero or. . . A person you admire, You admire their power, You admire their ability to share information. Imagine. Being them for a moment. This is your time to shine. This is your time to share your expertise. Perhaps these affirmations can help. I know this content more than anyone else here. I am here to help people learn. I will do my best. And that is good enough. There is no failure in presenting in a meeting. It's just a learning experience. Every meeting you present in, You'll get better. It will get easier. You will get more confident in your ability to roll with the punches and go with the flow. Good luck! My name is Pamela Pulaski. Take care of yourself.