Do you remember the last time you spoke in public?
If you felt afraid, you’re not alone. In a recent survey, more Americans said they were afraid of public speaking than being robbed—or even dying! But if you’ve tried to “imagine your audience in their underwear” to quell your fears, you may need a new technique—and self-compassion could be the one.
If you haven’t heard the term already, self-compassion refers to “treating yourself like a good friend,” especially when life feels hard. As Kristin Neff, leading researcher in the field, notes, we tend to treat ourselves harshly when things go wrong. If I’m speaking in public, for example, I might become highly critical of myself for being nervous or making a mistake.
[For more on this story by Phoebe Long , go to https://greatergood.berkeley.e...r_at_public_speaking]
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