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The spotlight hits, an open sea of faces stares back, and suddenly, your carefully crafted speech seems miles away.

This is the all-too-familiar experience of stage fright, and for many, the fear is amplified by the challenge of connecting with the audience through eye contact.

If you are a public speaker and have ever heard yourself playing with questions such as:

Where do you look?

How do you avoid the awkward, prolonged stare?

Then you have experienced stage fright.

Today’s blog can help you with this public speaking problem. Follow these suggestions, and you can transform a nerve-wracking ordeal into an engaging and impactful public speaking experience.

Option A: Imagine you’re having a series of small conversations with different groups within the larger audience. As you deliver your speech, shift your focus between these conversational groups: the three or four people seated near each other.

This approach creates a more natural and dynamic flow of eye contact, mimicking the way we interact in everyday conversations. It also prevents you from focusing on any single individual, which will reduce the pressure of a direct, and forever gaze.

Option B: Observe the audience’s nonverbal cues. Are they nodding in agreement, squishing their brows in confusion, or smiling with encouragement?

Subtly mirroring these reactions through your own facial expressions and eye contact can create a powerful sense of connection and rapport.

For example, if you see someone nodding, you might briefly hold eye contact with them while emphasizing the point they seem to agree with.

This technique demonstrates that you’re actively engaged with their responses and creates a more interactive and dynamic atmosphere.

Option C: Before you begin speaking, identify a few “anchor points” in the audience—people with those friendly, approachable expressions. These will be your initial points of focus as you start your speech. Once you’ve established a comfortable pace of speaking, look beyond these anchors, briefly connecting with other members of the audience before returning to your original anchors for reassurance. This technique provides a sense of stability and support while also allowing you to engage with a wider range of listeners.

Option D: Just as a conversation isn’t continuous and never-changing, your eye contact during a speech should also vary in duration and intensity.

For key points or impactful statements, hold eye contact slightly longer and with more intensity to emphasize the message.

For less important information, a brief gaze is sufficient. This variation keeps the audience engaged and prevents your eye contact from becoming boring or too much.

Let’s wrap this up. It’s impossible to make direct eye contact with every single person in the audience, and that’s perfectly okay.

Don’t strive for perfection; instead, focus on creating genuine moments of connection. If you momentarily lose your train of thought while making eye contact, don’t panic. Simply pause, gather your thoughts, and then re-engage with the audience.

Embracing these small changes makes you appear more human and relatable, which can actually strengthen your connection with the listeners, and that is what makes you an unforgettable public speaker!

As a public speaker, I’ve found that improving my ability to create small talk is a powerful way to connect with others, both in intimate settings and with larger audiences.

It’s more than just idle chatter—it’s an opportunity to engage, learn, and build rapport with people you want to get to know better.

Small talk happens at so many moments. For example, think about your daily environment. Each interaction is a chance to discover a bit more about the person in front of you.

Everyone you meet has a unique story and perspective, and when you show genuine curiosity, it’s easy to find common ground and connect because you feel authentic.

Small talk is particularly essential for public speakers because it frequently comes into play around presentations. Before taking the stage, someone might strike up a conversation with you, asking about your work or sharing their excitement for the event. After a presentation, people often approach others to share their thoughts, ask questions, or simply connect. Being comfortable with these exchanges not only enhances the experience for them but also builds your confidence as a speaker.

The beauty of small talk is in its simplicity—it doesn’t have to be profound to be impactful. A compliment, a shared observation, or a question about someone’s interests can spark a conversation that enriches your understanding of others. Plus, it’s fun!

By practicing small talk, you’ll become a better communicator, a more attentive listener, and ultimately, a more effective speaker who connects with audiences large and small.

Exploring your speaking space before a presentation is one of the most important things you can do!

It’s not just about logistics—it’s about getting comfortable and building your confidence before you begin your speech.

Walking the stage or the room helps you understand the layout, lighting, and where your audience will sit.

This familiarity makes it much easier to move around naturally and connect with your crowd when the presentation starts because you already have a feel for your surroundings.

Plus, it’s a chance to test equipment so there are no technical surprises mid-speech.

Doing your check-in earlier rather than right before the speech also gives you one less thing to worry about, letting you focus on delivering your message.

Whether it’s a small room or a big auditorium, do a check-in. You will be surprised at how this simple tip improves your success as a public speaker!

Accountability is the bridge that rests between your goals and your greatest potential. Every step you choose to own is a step toward success. — Robyn Austin

Accountability is the key to building the life you want. It starts with your personal agreement to show up for yourself, no matter what. Like a tree, stay rooted in your goals and be steady through challenges. By holding yourself accountable, you create a mind filled with positive energy, and this energy is what keeps you moving forward. Keep nurturing your dreams, stay positive, and let your consistent actions build the life you envision—one that stands tall and strong, just like a tree.

When I think of accountability, I think of a sunset: accountability signals the end of the day and symbolizes that a commitment is now complete.

At first, accountability might seem like it’s too much. But just as sunsets bring beauty and closure to our day, accountability brings clarity and growth.

When we are accountable, it’s not about looking back at some event or issue and blaming ourselves for not finishing an intention. It’s about accepting that your mindset has switched over to honoring a new direction or journey so that you can now live in a way that inspires you.

Today, take a new action. Embrace accountability as you would a sunset—appreciate its power to open up the path ahead.

This … is how to create a beautiful life filled with purpose.

Ever thought that accountability is like an air fryer? I know it sounds a bit unusual, but hear me out! Just like using an air fryer has a plan, so too does accountability.

Let’s go on this accountability path together.

So if you have ever used an air fryer, then you know that you start by adding in the internal basket or tray. You might be wondering how does this relate to being accountable?

This tray/basket symbolizes what you have to “catch.” Anything on the basket/tray is important. If it’s food, it’s going to nourish us, just like food, our goals nourish us, so the basket/tray is protecting what we know is good for our future.

Next, you have to push the bin into the big fryer. This represents your commitment to starting your accountability. By pushing in that metaphorical bin, you’re locking in your intentions and saying, “Yes, I’m really doing this.”

Now, it’s time for more decisions. Do you want to air fry, roast, bake, or reheat? Translation: What’s your strategy? Maybe you’re air frying a new habit, roasting a new decision, baking up a big dream, or reheating some forgotten ambitions.

Then, since you have made it this far, now select time and duration.

And just a reminder that preheating shows up before you open the bin and add the food, just in case you feel the need to abandon this project, which is okay as long as you realize you’ll need to start again with the process when you’re ready. If you go that route, then just pull out the bin and unplug the fryer.

But, if you keep going forward, then this is where the magic happens. You’ve set everything up, so now you can forget it—or at least, not stress over the process. Your accountability is cooking away in the background, and before you know it, ding! It’s done! Goals achieved!

See how easy that was? Just like with your air fryer, accountability doesn’t have to be complicated.

Accountability is totally possible if you believe in the process, and soon enough, you’ll see results manifesting. It’s like pulling out perfectly crisped fries—delicious, satisfying, and worth every bit of effort. Now, who’s hungry for a side of accountability?

Accountability is the backbone of achieving our goals.

To reach our dreams, we must hold ourselves accountable, starting each day with a clear purpose.

It’s not just about the excitement of the start but also the perseverance to finish strong.

Life’s journey requires a sturdy mindset so we can embrace challenges with resilience.

So…as we walk our paths, let’s build a foundation of accountability that supports each of us through every step, big or small.

Remember, stay sturdy, stay committed, and success will be yours.

“Self-care is about you, and it starts with you.”

WHOA! There are deadlines, commitments, and those endless to-do lists that fill our daily lives, which makes it so easy to forget about taking care of ourselves.

Way back in time, self-care was something for certain people—not anymore! Self-care is something that we all deserve for our overall well-being. And this blog will introduce you to a few steps to keep you accountable to a manageable self-care ritual.

Here are the 7 steps:

1. Aspire to making restful nights a priority. Whatever it takes for you to reach this place, do it!
2. Walking, working out, dancing, and the list goes on. Get your body moving!
3. Build experiences that spark joy in your life.
4. Learn how to be compassionate to yourself.
5. Embrace and respect your worthiness.
6. Refresh your mind and spirit by getting outdoors.
7. This step is essential: write your progress down in a journal or a planner, and watch as your life begins to shine with vitality and fulfillment.

Commit to incorporating these seven self-care hacks into your routine. Because remember, you deserve to sparkle!

And once again, thank you for visiting my blog!