Fear of speaking in a public situation is thought to be the number one phobia worldwide. The degree varies from person to person, but the symptoms are the same, and include a desire to flee the scene or perhaps a feeling that you might die whilst saying your piece.

In our past, being observed could have meant us being on someone’s menu that day, so it was safer to hide within the group, and avoid that awful possibility. Standing alone still ignites our flight response so we need to develop our own strategies to bring our emotions up to date.

Any empty space might be thought of as a stage. You enter, somebody else is looking at you and listening to what you have to say. You can call it an audition, a product presentation and interview, a networking event, or a date, but it is an act of theatre and we can learn an enormous amount from professional performers when it comes to handling our own social anxiety.

Over the coming days, you will receive handy tips and activities which will help you face up to everyday stage fright with new insight and confidence.