August 2006 - Tests & Public Speaking

Question

I am due to take my 5th driving test next week and I am riddled with nerves and feel sick at the thought of it. Nerves were the reason that I failed each time before. Is there anything that I can do to help get rid of the nerves?

Answer:

Yes there are a number of things that you can do to help your self. Try some self meditation or hypnosis before going into do the test. Ensure that the car you about to drive does NOT have any plug in car ‘scents’ also make sure that you do not wear any perfume that day. You could also, if you have time have a quick session of Thought Field Therapy to make sure that there are no fears related to your driving test. TFT works very well in helping anyone doing any type of exam work school, college, university etc.

Also you could try the following if self meditation or hypnosis is a little too much for you to handle:

Close your eyes and sit quietly in a room or space somewhere.

Hear - Concentrate on listening to all the noises and sounds going on around you in the room, your body or outside the room
Do that NOW for about 20 seconds

Taste - Concentrate on all the tastes in your mouth what ever you have had to eat or drink recently.
Do that NOW for about 20 seconds

Smell - Concentrate on everything that you can smell from you or your surroundings
Do that NOW for about 20 seconds

Sight - Concentrate on everything that you can remember seeing before you closed your eyes, colours, pictures, furniture etc
Do that NOW for about 20 seconds

Feel - Concentrate on everything that you can feel in and around your body your tongue in your mouth, hair on your head, your clothes, textures, your body sitting into a chair etc
Do that NOW for about 20 seconds

Learn more by reading ‘The Power of Now’. The best of luck and let me know how you get on?

Question

I am in my 40’s and I am starting my own business but there are certain things that I am a little concerned about like speaking in public to a large number of people I am scared that I will ‘dry up’, lose my train of thought or something worse. I often get in a muddle with my words.

Answer:

What you are feeling is quite normal and we can all suffer from the jitters every now and again particularly when it comes to public speaking or giving a presentation. Besides the normal tips of practising what you are going to say to a group, keeping short notes on what to say you could try some deep breathing exercises.

When you do get in a muddle with your words use a little TFT and try tapping on the side of your hand between your little finger and wrist joint (the area where you would do a karate chop), about 20 taps should do it. You can even do this while you are speaking to someone and it can look as though you are thinking about something. I often use this method myself oh and by the way it can work with hiccoughs also.