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Everyone has an image to take care of. Whether you like it or not, people will often scrutinize your looks. If you want to create your image, decide now! You can stand by and improve your own image or be a shadow of someone else. Many people shy away because they are so conscious of their appearance. Here are just five simple steps on how to enhance your image and to build the must have self confidence.

1. Feel good about yourself. Positive thinking is a good enhancer of personality. Nothing compares to an aura of self contentment and serenity. Shyness is developed by negative thoughts that others are far better than you. Stop that nonsense and start appreciating yourself. Look at the mirror every morning and say to yourself "You are a beautiful creation of God!"

2. Positive image starts in you. A good character is admirable and gives you credibility. Live harmoniously and be at peace with everyone. How can you project a positive image if your real life doesn’t say so? You can really feel shameful if you have criminal records. The real idea of an enhanced image is brought about by living decently.

3. Appearance. Good looking and fashionable people are the ones who get more attention from the audience. Being shy can also be a product of not so being confident on how you look in front of people. To enhance your image, you may want to consider these points relative to your appearance:

• Clean body that comes with clothes. Be sure that you are clean from head to toe. Hygiene and proper grooming are important aspects in image enhancement. Putting on that clean apparel from top to bottom can give you an edge in any occasions. Making sure that your body and what you’re wearing are neat will help you feel secure about yourself and your appearance.

• Proper color coordination. Be careful on what you wear as this can be a mirror of your personality. Combination of colors should be perfect. Neck ties should be matched with your inner shirt; belts and shoes should have the same color.

• Put on the right make up. Woman should always be conscious about her make up. Any color will do for fair skinned while light shades of purple and pink goes with dark skinned women. Choosing the right lipstick should also be a priority.

• Clean cut hair. You wouldn’t want to look like a rock star over a corporate meeting. Make sure that your hair is well trimmed and that it doesn’t cover your face.

4. Gaining a positive image will also be incorporated in your movements and ease in front of a crowd. You should develop eye contact and facial expressions appropriate to certain circumstances. Smiling is one sure way of gaining some people’s trust. This can also involve the proper actuations in a social gathering. Etiquette is necessary to develop your presence in any events.

5. Seek the help of a professional image enhancer. There are also certain books which will help you with the information on how to develop your image and do away with shyness. You can invest on these things to make sure that you are properly guided.

Enhancing your image is one good way of overcoming your shyness. It can boost your self confidence knowing that you appear respectable and neat in front of anyone. Positive image can spell success thus it should always be cultivated.

- Leon Edward

Leon Edward helps people improve in Career Development, Goal Setting, Leadership, Success, Motivation, Self-Improvement, Happiness, Memory Improvement, Stress Reduction and more through his articles, blogs, reports and self-help success roladex-on-line. Visit his Success-Leadership Library, Articles  at http://www.AwesomeSuccess.org

Leon Edward also helps people improve  IQ, focus, memory, concentration, creativity, speed reading, public speaking , time management and reducing stress.
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Posted by Leon Edward at 04:27 AM | Permalink

Be aware of the general demographic of your audience. The factors of age, educational attainment and economic background should dictate the level at which to design your talk. Your doctorate gobbledygook won’t be helpful to the rural agricultural workers waiting to hear you. In the same light, a graduate school audience may become bored with a simple linear presentation. Younger audiences may need conceptual statements to be broken down into concrete examples they can relate to.

· Outline the flow of your key points on note cards. Small index cards are better than whole sheets of paper because it’s easier to keep track of where you are in the talk.

· Use bullet points to highlight your ideas. Don’t write out entire sentences on your notes that you might be tempted to memorize. It’s easier to remember your outline and expound spontaneously if you memorize the ideas instead of the exact words

Everyone loves a laugh, so it may be helpful to inject some humor into your speech. Before doing so however, analyze the subject matter and check if it won’t be inappropriate.

If you choose to employ humor, make sure to remain tactful. Stay away from slanted jokes that may offend certain sub-sectors within your audience, such as gender, religion, race, politics and economic status.

Keep the comedy in check. Well-timed snippets may help you establish rapport with your audience, or make monotonous stretches a bit lighter. Too many laughs however may divert the audience’s focus from your key points.

Looking at members of the audience in the eye keeps them involved in your talk. Research has shown that information is more easily received when the listener has both visual and verbal contact with the speaker. Make sure to distribute your attention to audience members in different parts of the room.

While the topic is all too familiar to you, it may be a new subject to your audience. Speak slowly and clearly, at a pace that allows your audience to follow your meaning. Make sure you speak loud enough to be heard by the person at the back of the room. For emphasis, briefly pause before and after important ideas or say key points twice before elaborating.

Nothing beats knowing what you’re talking about inside and out. Research your facts and make sure you have a good grasp of the issues involved. Have a comprehensive understanding of your topic. Where it applies, be aware of both sides to a polarized discussion about your subject. Anticipate questions the audience might raise.

To further nail down the message behind your speech, encourage questions and clarifications through an open forum after your talk. Before you begin the forum, set a time limit or a predetermined number of questions you can accommodate. You may want to discuss this beforehand with the organizers

to make sure that you can fit everything within the time allotted for you.

Posted by Leon Edward at 03:59 AM | Permalink

The fear of public speaking is very real for a lot of people. It actually ranks so high on the list that it has been shown that the fear of death actually takes a back seat to it.

At some point in your life, you have probably had the occasion to speak to a large audience. Of course ‘large’ is relative. To some, it can be any number larger than zero, where others don’t start to get uncomfortable until the number reaches over a hundred.

If you are among the number of people who would rather be in the casket than delivering the eulogy, you now the anxiety, along with the sweaty palms, unsteady speech and the fear of blacking out that come with public speaking. Perhaps the worst part is waiting for your turn to speak, whether you are introduced or have to get every body attention yourself. That is the moment of truth.

Perhaps the reason for the fear is that you don’t simply think everyone is looking at you; you know everyone is looking at you and judging what you are saying.

So, you take a deep breath and begin to muddle your way to the speech. At the end there is a sigh of relieve as you try to figure out if you had even holding your breath the whole time.

If this sounds familiar to you, it may help to know that even very confident people still get stage fright from time to time. Even when they have delivered the same speech hundreds of times- think motivational speakers. From time to time, we can all loose our confidence.

If you are looking to be able to deliver an address so that the audience thinks you have everything together, here are a few things to keep in mind before your next speaking engagement.

First, preparation is the key to your success. Make an outline of your speech, being sure to bold the points you want to be sure you hit.

Practice your speech to you friends, family, the dog, whoever will listen. If they have questions try to answer them in the speech. If they offer helpful suggestions, on word usage or flow, take them.

When D-Day comes, make sure you get to the venue as early as possible to feel it out. Is it a large auditorium or a relatively small meeting room? You don’t want to think you are speaking to a room that holds 50 only to find out you have enough room in the hall for 150.

Dress in comfortable clothes that look nice. This will boost your confidence and make your feel more at ease.

Don’t let the audience think that you are not one hundred percent confident and knowledgeable about your topic. After all, they are there to get information from you. If they knew more about the issue at hand, they would be there.

Remember, you have earned the right to speak. Some body somewhere decided you were the best person to present this idea, whatever it may be, to the masses.

And breathe!

High among the list of scary things for many people is the fear of public speaking. Few things can strike fear into the heart of a person and one of them is facing an audience.

At any point in anyone’s life, a person has the opportunity to talk in front of an audience. Everyone who is faced with such a dilemma knows those familiar feelings of anxiety. This situation is often accompanied by sweaty palms, shaky voices, palpitations, and sometimes a few sobs.

It is at this precise moment that “visions” come -- thoughts of being laughed at and ridiculed emerged. You imagine standing frozen in front as you forgot what to say, mumbled along, and placed everyone to sleep.

At this point, you are yanked back into reality by the sound of the presenter introducing your name. What follows next can be pretty ugly.

Those who have experienced similar situations know how difficult and uncomfortable it is to make a speech. Even confident people can sometimes be stopped by stage fright. This has led many people to despise public speaking.

Yet there are people do it with such seemingly relative ease! It is because they know that public speaking is like a skill that can be learned. It can be learned by anyone, including you.

One of the most important things in preparing to make a speech is to maintain a positive mental attitude. Let your fears pass through you and realize that many people have done this before and therefore, you can do it too.

Here are some things to remember in making a speech:

Preparation is key.

You must know your topic inside and out. Write an outline of the speech, highlighting all the key points. Prepare possible questions and answers. It's important to understand the topic and not just to memorize words. That way, even if you forget the words mid-speech, you still have confidence to continue.

Practice as much as possible.

You must practice until you know it by heart. Use a timer to control the pace of the speech. A timer is useful especially if there is a time limit. Practice in front of a mirror and practice in front of friends. Ask for their opinions on how to improve your speech.

Arrive at the venue early and get a feel of the place.

Try rehearsing on the actual podium. Consider your appearance. Dress well in comfortable clothes. This will inspire confidence in your self, as well as, make good impression on the audience.

Breathe deeply.

It is normal to feel anxious before a speech but you can't let nervousness stop you from being effective. Deep breathing increases the flow of oxygen into the brain. This helps maintain a clear mind. It would also be good to have a glass of water on hand.

Don't be afraid of the audience.

Never assume that the audience knows more about the topic than you do. The audience isn’t there to hurt you. They are there in order to hear what you have to say. Pretend that the audience is composed of friends and family. Better yet, have one of your friends who listened to your speech attend.

Remember to maintain a positive mentality at all times. Never entertain the thought of messing up. Be confident in your preparations and in yourself. Believe that you can do it and you will.

Anyone can learn to speak in public confidently. All it takes is some practice and a positive mental attitude to overcome this common fear.

- Leon Edward

Posted by Leon Edward at 05:29 AM | Permalink

The idea of giving a speech before an audience always brings about a certain degree of anxiety even to those who consider themselves dauntless.  If you feel a flutter of butterflies up your tummy every time you are asked to deliver a public speech, there is no need to worry.  You are in good company.  Public speaking is part of life.  We need to communicate in order to understand and be understood.  It is one of several ways that human beings can reach out to one another.  It is a determinant for success or failure of a culture.

Whether in the workplace, a family gathering, or a social convention, no one is exempted from giving a speech.  Your technical knowledge and personal points of view are very much needed in society.  You need to learn how to convey them through language; otherwise, they become useless and insignificant.

What we do not know can create fear within us.  Ignorance causes apprehension and panic.  That is the reason why we feel nervous at giving a public speech.  You are probably not used to giving out speeches in front of larger audience.  The fact that you are unsure of what will transpire during the entire speech, creates an agonizing dread over the task.

Your best line of attack, therefore, is preparation.  You are assigned a specific topic, which they assume is under your expertise.  Be glad and prove to them that you truly are the expert on that topic.  Conduct a thorough research on the most relevant issues that you need to cover.  Organize them like a well-developed thesis.

Practice makes perfect. Yes, we know but correct practice makes you even better.  Ask someone close to you, a friend or a family member, to listen to your speech.  Solicit feedbacks and they will provide you with honest ones.  Listen to them and embrace their criticisms but you have the final say.  You are the expert; you make the final decisions.

On the day of your speech, after all the preparations and practices you have made, you will discover that the butterflies are still present.  Do not panic.  It is a natural physiological reaction to the task on hand.  Your body is trying to prepare itself for a seemingly arduous undertaking so that once you are on stage, it becomes extremely easy.  You will realize that everything just flows smoothly.

Public speaking is one daunting task.  It is up to you to channel your anxiety towards something that will eventually lead to victory.  The best thing about it is that there is something you can do.

Posted by Leon Edward at 07:15 AM | Permalink

You have been through countless occasions when you were requested to present a speech.  After a sudden burst of energy, you are bowed by the irrepressible fear over a seemingly manageable task.  Some speeches need preparation and practice.  Those types call for more time so you can conduct a thorough research and development.  What if you are solicited an impromptu speech?  Are you going to refuse and say you do not have enough time to prepare?

A spontaneous unplanned speech causes as much anxiety as an anticipated one.  No matter what, you should never deny people from hearing you out and learning from your words of wisdom.  Unless you have a justifiable reason, never decide to engage in a tug-of-war every time someone asks you to speak in front of an audience.  It is not a very pleasant reflection of you as a social being.

When people ask for your opinion, you must realize that they value your idea over some issues.  They believe that you have something to say on the matter that the rest may have overlooked.  Unless you have become a resident on some remote planet that knows no news, you always have an idea over something.  That means you always have a say over something, so say it.

The best rule is to always be sincere and truthful.  Be yourself.  Even the most skillful actors will find it hard to be somebody else when asked about their personal opinions.  It is never wise to try hard and mimic some ideal personality when you are delivering a speech.  It will just come off as contrived and artificial.  Your audience will feel your insincerity and will find it difficult to believe what you are saying.  A skeptical audience is always unforgiving.  You will find yourself at the center of mockery.  Therefore, say what you mean and mean what you say.

Establish a connection with your audience.  The spectators are not there to put you down or to make your life miserable.  They are there to listen to you and learn from you, more than eager to hear what you want to convey to them.  Be one with your audience.  Joke with them if you must but always be appropriate.  Do not sacrifice the values of propriety and decorum over the attention of your audience.

Most of all, it helps if you do it more often.  Accept speaking engagements.  Do not refuse those precious moments when someone asks you to share your opinions.  Speak out.  It is through constant repetition that we get the hang of something.  Once you do, public speaking will become second nature to you.

Posted by Leon Edward at 07:18 AM | Permalink

Public speaking is a very important skill that kids need to enhance when in school. You need to have self-confidence to be an effective public speaker. Enhancing your public speaking skills is never a difficult task.

Treat your listeners as your friends and you will not feel any anxiety and pressure when doing your presentation. However, there are instances where you may encounter hostile audiences. If your audience participates and listens attentively, they would expect you to have a good result in the presentation.

You may encounter different kinds of people. You may find people that are helping you to build confidence in public speaking. You may think of ways to interact with them. You can also make some activities to involve them in any discussion. Always remember that even if they are not participating, you can always have a two-way communication in one way or another.

You have to give your attention to those people who are actively involving themselves in your presentation. You can easily distinguish those persons who are listening and interested. You may look at their facial expressions and body movements such as if they are nodding their heads. This means that they may agree to what you are saying to them.

There are also those audiences that frown and show their disagreements to what you are saying. If there are instances like this, you should be satisfied with the reactions you have created. This means that they are listening to you.

You have to point out the subjects and issues in your presentations. Keep them awake during the course of your speech. There may be times that you are a lousy speaker. Listeners will tend to sleep and be lousy as well. That is one thing that you do not want to experience in your public speaking.

You may ask rhetorical questions to keep them away from going to sleep. You have to include them by directly calling the name of the person when you are about to ask a question. If the situation is still at a lousy pace, you should change your strategy on the way you deliver the topic.

You have to be ready for any circumstance that may occur in public speaking. Eye contact with the listeners is very important in communicating with your audience. You can at least lend 5 to 10 seconds to each person in the conference room.

You may change the volume of your voice and be provocative in the way you speak. A lively speaker can create an active audience. Always remember that public speaking requires a lot of practice. The first time may not bring you a satisfactory outcome. However, that will make you improve as a public speaker.

Posted by Leon Edward at 11:01 AM | Permalink

The three greatest fears for humankind are Death, Tax Time and Public Speaking; but the greatest of these fears is Public Speaking. For some, the idea of standing up in front of a roomful of total strangers is worse than being audited; and for many, death itself would be preferable to having to speak publicly.

Maybe this has happened to you. Someone introduces you and you walk up to the podium. You look out on that sea of unfamiliar faces, and your heart starts to pound in your chest, your mouth goes dry, your palms begin to sweat and your stomach gives a lurch. You had a speech prepared, but every bit of information you had intended to share just flies out of your brain, like so many uncaged birds. The butterflies in your stomach have become iron pellets. And like a bad sitcom, everything goes into slow motion, and you imagine that the audience is now pointing at you and laughing.

Stop right there, take a deep breath and relax. Every public speaker has had a nerve- wracking experience at least once in his or her life. But it doesn’t have to be that bad, and there are several ways to make your next public speaking experience less stressful, maybe even fun. The good news is that public speaking isn’t fatal.

The first thing to ask yourself is to whom will you be speaking? Speaking to a convention of bankers or investors is completely different than speaking to a convention of say, meat packers, or giving a toast at a wedding. Know your audience. If you are giving a speech at a seminar, you have information to impart to your audience; they’re there because you can teach them something.

Once you’ve determined who your audience will be, it’s time to prepare your speech or presentation. The more you know about your topic and the better prepared you are, the less nervous you’ll be, so really get to know your material. Practice your speech or presentation in front of a mirror and pay attention to your body language.

Should you bring notes or depend on your memory? Because it is a stressful time, most speakers bring notes with them. How awful would it be to become so nervous, you forgot everything you were going to say, and you just stood there, trying desperately to remember your speech? Always take notes with you. But just use them as a guide; don’t recite from your notes, unless you’d like your audience to nap while you speak to them.

The first thirty seconds are the hardest to get through, but are of the greatest importance. In that first thirty seconds, you must grab your audience’s attention; get them interested in what you have to say. You’re probably asking, "How exactly do I do that?" Well, you could start with a joke, depending of course on your audience. Humor might not be appropriate for some gatherings. You could ask a provocative question, or quote a famous person.

Watch your body language. If you’re using a podium, stand naturally behind it; don’t grip the edges, as if you’re afraid of being blown off the dais. Place your notes on the podium, smile at the audience, and while maintaining eye contact, begin your speech or presentation. Hand gestures and facial expression are important. Moving about a little is okay, but try not to pace back and forth across the stage or dais. It can make your audience nervous.

Remember to take it easy and not rush through your presentation or speech, pause now and then, consult your notes when necessary and try to relax. Remind yourself to speak slowly and clearly, avoiding slang. Stick to your speech or presentation; try not to go off on tangents that are sure to confuse your audience.

Know when you’re done. Avoid rambling on, repeating yourself, or going off topic. Tell them what you need to tell them, give them the information they came to hear, then wrap it up. If you planned on a question and answer period, let them know you’re ready for their questions. When you’re done, say thank you and walk off the dais.

Dales Carnegie was quoted as saying that, "Great speakers are not born, they’re trained." That means that, as with most things in life, preparation is the key. When you’re prepared, when all your ducks are in a row, and you feel like you know what you’re doing, you’ll be much less nervous.

So, walk up to that podium, look your audience in the eyes, smile, act like you own the place, and begin. You will survive; in fact, you will be good and interesting. You might even learn to enjoy the experience as a public speaker

Posted by Leon Edward at 07:26 PM | Permalink

Let's face it. Not many people are blessed with the gift of gab. Some even abhor the thought o
having to face an audience to relate anything verbally. However, surely there are a lot of people who would like to master this skill.

Public speaking is not an easy task. But the good news is that it is not impossible to learn how to be good at it. How about learning the qualities of a good public speaker before going deeper into acquiring this precious skill. Here are the traits that a person should learn or adopt if he or she is planning to become an effective public speaker:

1. Resourceful.

A public speaker can't merely rely on his or her stock knowledge. Knowing where to acquire new information and how to get it so that he or she can relay them to his or her audience easily is one valuable quality of an excellent public speaker. The preparation a good speaker makes does not end in his speech. Knowing an audience's interests and level of knowledge is also a part of his resourcefulness.

Using props is something common with a speaker who is resourceful enough to know how some simple visual aids or items can evoke more interest from his or her audience.

2. Always updating his or her knowledge.

A very good public speaker is always thirsty for new information. He or she polishes her wisdom by reading, attending seminars, or doing any other kind of activities that would enrich his or her knowledge.

3. Humorous.

Oftentimes, it's the sense of humor of the speaker that makes his or her speech a lot more easy to comprehend and remember. Incorporating a few jokes that would touch the interests of the listeners can very well assist a speaker in conveying the message of his or her talk. No one loves a boring speaker.

4. Confident.

Who would enjoy listening to a stutterer just because he or she is not comfortable speaking in front of an audience? When confidence exudes from a public speaker, the more enthusiastic the listeners become to understand what that person can help them learn.

5. Has a way with words.

A public speaker can't be effective if he or she has a limited vocabulary stock. However, it's not the wide array of high-falluting terms that can make a speech fruitful. One should know how to use "moving" words. Such are the words that touch a certain genre of people, e.g., hippies and hippie terms for those who have lived in the era, "jerks" as something negative for the teenagers, etc.

Posted by Leon Edward at 06:41 PM | Permalink