Problem: Article: A lot of stress caused by the fear of speaking in public, whether for a presentation or at a social gathering can be derived from not knowing who you're speaking to. You wonder if you're saying the right thing. If your point is getting across. If you sound intelligent enough. Before engaging in any form of public speaking, learn about your audience. If you are giving a presentation you should be able to do this easily. Think about why you are speaking and where you are speaking. Then go through a checklist. Try to be able to answer as to the size of the audience, age, gender, education (experience and socioeconomic level), religion, friendliness, and if the audience knows about you. You can remember this as an acronym, SAGE RFK. Being able to fill in those blanks will help you form a speech that you will feel comfortable giving. The type of audience will affect how you speak. If you have the chance, interview 3-7 people from the audience. Find out their challenges so you can create teaching points. Ask about their successes so you can highlight them. Doing so will help you build support and trust from the audience during your speech. Negative thoughts associated with the task of public speaking can hinder your ability to present the amazing speech and knowledge you have inside you. Instead of letting negative thoughts prevail, turn those thoughts into positive ones. Visualize yourself speaking confidently and the audience responding positively to your speech. Imagine audience members benefiting from your speech, and tell yourself that you are in the right place at the right time. If you feel nervous or scared you probably also have nervous thoughts about what might go wrong. Having such thoughts will alter your voice and your body language negatively. Instead of harboring bad feelings and letting negative thoughts fester, remember to think positively. Positive thoughts will make you excited, allow you to relax, and give you confidence. Instead of thinking about how you wish you didn't have to speak, reframe your thoughts and give yourself a pep talk. You might say to yourself, "Wow! I get to share my knowledge on a subject I'm passionate about with all these wonderful people who want to hear what I have to say!" View the chance to speak as a compliment. And know, that in most cases, the people who are listening to you are there for you. These people want to hear what you have to say. Silences can feel awkward, especially when you're standing in front of a lot of people who are staring at you and waiting for you to say something. But silences are a chance to breathe and collect your thoughts. Make speaking a choice. It's not something you have to do because you're standing in front of a bunch of people. It's something you choose to do when you're ready. Learning to feel ok with silence will help you take your time when speaking publicly. You don't want to rush your speech. Silences will always feel longer to you than to those not speaking. Just smile and gather yourself but never take too long. If what you speak is good enough, the audience will not mind some silence. Use silence to notice your breathing and stay calm. You can also use silence to let a particular point sink in. If you are speaking and want something you just said to really sink into your audience, silence is a great way to allow that to happen before you move on. Silence is your friend, not your enemy. Understanding how you speak when you're just having a casual conversation will allow you to improve your public speaking skills. Practice pausing and giving yourself time to collect your thoughts, rather than using filler words to avoid silence. Pay attention to all the filler words you say in any given conversation. These words are the noises and words you say when you are processing your thoughts and don't know what to say next. Words and sounds like "Ah," "Um," "Like," "Er." Getting more comfortable with silence can help you reduce filler words. We also have default speech settings which have become automatic to us over the course of our lives. For example, if someone sneezes, you might say "Bless you." These behaviors exist in public speaking as well. Identify what behaviors you have, both verbal and nonverbal. Which ones make you look nervous or not authoritative? Once you identify what your behaviors are you can begin to correct these habits. Perhaps you adjust your glasses when you're nervous. Or pick your fingernails. Maybe you use more filler words. To help you change these habits, learn to be aware of what you're doing in all settings. Even if you're talking to a friend on the phone, be cognizant of what you are doing. When you realize you are doing something, make an effort to stop.
Summary: Learn who your audience is. Alter your outlook. Learn to be comfortable with silence. Identify your speech patterns.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: We all lead very busy lives, and it can be hard to find a time to dedicate to taking care of ourselves. However, setting a routine will make it easier to commit to this practice. The best times to meditate are generally right after waking up or just before going to bed. This is when you're less easily distracted by other activities. You can also meditate at other times of the day if these work better for you, as long as you commit to a schedule. In any case, make sure you set aside a time in which you feel calm and your attention is not driven to other things. For example, you can reserve a special corner in your home for it. Even better, you can meditate in your garden if you have one. Whichever place you choose, make it become your regular space for meditation. Get a cushion, a mat or a chair that you really like and that you can use specifically for your practice. Burn some incense, if you find it helpful. Aromas help many people concentrate and relax. Posture is extremely important in determining the outcome of your sit. This can vary based on the specific form of meditation you practice. Whether you are sitting on a chair or a cushion, push your shoulder back, keep your back straight and bring your chin to your chest a little so that you can extend the rear of your neck. If you are sitting cross-legged, find a comfortable position that you can maintain throughout the practice. Put your hands on your lap, either with your palms up or in a position that feels comfortable for you. Keep your body warm and relaxed; do not clench or tighten your muscles. When choosing a space, it is important that you don't usually perform other activities in it that might divert your attention. For example, a lounge with a TV can be a highly distracting space. Instead, a bedroom is a space where you are more naturally led to relax and focus on yourself. People are by far the most likely form of distraction. If you meditate at home, choose a time when no one else is around. if you meditate in a park, opt for a secluded spot. It's okay to meditate in the presence of other people if they're also practicing some form of meditation. Switch off your phone and other devices. You don't want to have to answer calls when you're in the middle of a sit. Put away anything else that might act as a distraction, such as books or food. If you can't avoid some background noise, try to get used to it so that it no longer affects you after a while. It is impossible to find perfect silence; your mind needs to make the best of what you can get. According to a popular saying: 'You are what you eat'. Eat light meals in order to prepare your body for a practice, and try to meditate away from larger meals if you can. The digestion process can take up most of your energies, which you would need for the practice. Avoid foods you might be particularly sensitive to: again, digestion issues can work as a distraction. If you eat a lot of fried food, use too much oil or spices, you might feel restless while meditating. On the other hand, eating too much meat, canned food and food that has gone off can make you sleepy during your practice.
Summary:
Meditate every day at the same time. Find a clean, comfortable and airy space. Sit properly. Avoid distractions. Develop good eating habits.