Article: Having a clear understanding of your anxiety will help you reduce it. Jot down a few reasons why you feel nervous about your speech. Try to dig into specific reasons. For example, if you write down that you're worried that you'll look stupid in front of a crowd, think about why you think you'll look stupid. Is it because you worry that your information is wrong? Once you know this, you can spend more time researching and learning your topic. When you think negative thoughts about yourself and your performance, your anxiety will grow. If you don't have confidence in yourself, you may think, how will your audience have confidence in you? When you catch yourself thinking negatively, stop yourself. Replace it with a positive thought. For example, you might think, "I'll forget my entire speech. I don't know what I'm doing." Stop this thought and replace it with, "I know my topic. I've done lots of research. Plus, I will have my speech written down and I can look at it when I need to. And if I stumble over a few places, that's okay." The fear of public speaking is known as glossophobia. About 80% of the population gets anxious about speaking in public. This group feels nervous, has clammy hands, has a racing heartbeat, and feels jittery. Know that it's perfectly normal to feel this way before a speech. While it can be an uncomfortable experience, know that you will get through it. And each time you give a speech, you'll get more accustomed to the experience.

What is a summary?
Write down reasons why you're anxious. Quiet your inner critic. Know that you're not alone.