If you have ever seen someone get up on stage and give a mesmerizing presentation, chances are there is a part of you that wishes you could do the same. The truth is that many people want to be able to share their voice with the world , but so little do as they fear failure or ridicule. 

Having the ability to speak in public is like having a super power which will make you a great leader because it truly gives you a tremendous amount of confidence. Not only will you have overcome such a terrible fear, but the accolades you will receive from your peers will fill you with a sense of accomplishment and achievement that will give you a sense of fulfillment that feels like you have just climbed Mt. Everest.

If you have ever wanted to step out on stage and give an oral presentation but did not do so because of your fear, then there are a few methods that can help you address these. The methods for overcoming public speaking phobia are plentiful. Some you may have even found moderately effective.  

However, there’s a good chance you still continue to have phobias about speaking in public.  The good news is, there are simple little ‘tricks’ and ‘secrets’ you probably haven’t heard about. Here are three simple methods you can use to be better prepared for your speech which will help you alleviate some of your fears:

1. Prepare Your Speech

“One way to blast through and begin overcoming public speaking phobia associated with your speech is to flip your emotions around 180 degrees and instead of feeling nervous, feel excited about your topic” says Emily Miller, editor of a website called Keynote Speaker. You’ve undoubtedly got something really cool and important to say.  I highly recommend picking a subject you enjoy and be sure to speak on topics you know well.

2. Appreciate Your Audience

Another great step to overcoming public speaking phobia is to think the best of your audiences.  Assume they are friendly.  Assume they want to hear what you have to say and that they want you to succeed. If you want your audiences to like you, like them first. Learn to love your audiences and they will return the favor.

3. Reinterpret Your Past “Failures”

Many people have public speaking phobias because of a humiliating speaking engagements of the past.  Such an event can be a bit traumatizing; especially without any help to get over it.  One powerful thing you can do to begin overcoming public speaking phobia towards any future speaking engagements is learn to “reinterpret” your past.

According to Sam Miller of the Coaching Institute, it’s important to use your failures as a stepping stone toward your goals rather than a hinderance. This just basically means you need to look at your past experience in a way that allows you to gain an advantage from it.  Sure, it may have been humiliating at the time, but think of how much you learned.  Think about how much better it will be this time around, how much better you will be this time around.  The worst is behind you.

I’m confident if you apply the above secrets, you’ll be well on your way to overcoming public speaking phobia. If you’re interested in learning more about overcoming your public speaking phobia, we recommend checking out one of the most powerful public speaking training courses in the world.

Breast reduction surgery is a plastic surgery performed by a surgeon to remove the excess fat, tissue, and skin to reshape and resize your breasts. Most people opt for this procedure because of some medical issues like chronic upper back pain, neck pain, or shoulder pain or to achieve a breast size proportional to your body size. This procedure might help improve your self-image and your ability to participate in physical activities more.

Why It’s Done?

A breast reduction procedure is for women with large breasts suffering from issues such as:

• Chronic back pain, shoulder pain, and neck pain
• Limited activity
• Difficulty fitting into clothing and bras
• Nerve pain
• Skin irritation under the breasts
• Poor self-image related to large breasts

You can get a breast reduction procedure at any time, even as a teenager. You might need a second surgery later in life if your breasts are not fully developed at the time of the procedure.

Consultation With a Surgeon

You should consult an experienced surgeon before considering a breast reduction procedure. The surgeon will ask you about your medical history and conditions, and also your family’s medical history.

Don’t hesitate to share your medical history or issues. Your surgeon will take photos of your breasts, measure their size, and talk about how much fat or tissue will need to be removed to achieve your desired look. The surgeon will also guide you about the procedure and recovery. A mammogram and breast exam are also done before the surgery.

You will be asked to stop smoking and to stop taking specific medication such as anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirins to ensure proper healing.

Preparing for a Breast Reduction Procedure

Follow the instructions provided by your surgeon. Maintain good physical shape to ensure proper healing. It would help if you got your home ready for your recovery before undergoing surgery. It would be best if you had these things on hand:

• Gauze and washcloths or towels
• Loose and comfortable T-shirts or blouses
• Plenty of ice
• Ointments recommended by your surgeon

You should call someone to drive you home and stay with you for some time if you’re staying in the hospital or a surgical center.

How Is Breast Reduction Surgery Done?

You will get general anesthesia, which means you will be unconscious during the whole procedure.

Generally, the following steps are involved in the procedure:

• Moving the nipple to a new position while it’s still attached to the blood supply
• Removal of unnecessary fat, glandular tissue and skin
• Reshaping the remaining tissue

The whole procedure generally takes two to three hours, depending on the extent of the reduction. You will be admitted to the hospital for 1 or 2 nights.

In the end, your surgeon will stitch up the incisions, use drainage tubes, and carefully wrap the breasts in a special gauze.

After the Surgery

When the anesthesia wears off, and you wake up, your breasts will have a dressing and plastic tubes attached to them for blood drainage.

Tubes are removed after 1 or 2 days, and you will be allowed to go home. The surgeon will prescribe you some pain medication for the pain, swelling, and discomfort. The swelling may last for up to 3 months.

Recovery From Breast Reduction Surgery

It is advised to take at least one week off from work or school after the procedure. Some people need more time. Your surgeon will guide you about follow-up appointments on when to remove the bandages and stitches. You’ll have to stop physical activities for at least a month.

Some surgeons advise wearing a sports bra for up to 3 months after the surgery. You might feel tired and have breast pain. This is normal. Avoid doing strenuous exercises or heavy lifting. Some people feel depressed after surgery. Tell your doctor about your concerns. You will probably have scars around your nipples, depending on your procedure. They usually stay red for six weeks and then fade over time. 

For women with huge breasts, a breast reduction procedure feels like a solution to their permanent chronic pains. It can relieve their back, neck and shoulder pains, difficulty exercising, and rashes on their breast, not to forget limited clothing options.

If you want to deliver a great speech at your next business event, then you are going to need to learn the art of storytelling. Are fantastic tales something only for children? Not necessarily. Look at the blockbuster movies that entertain millions of people. Harry Potter, Titanic, Star Wars and all your favorite motion pictures are accounts of what was, what is, or what could be. We love to listen to tales that help us understand our world, and give us clear directions to reach our dreams.

This poetic art precedes the written word. For thousands of years, our forefathers wove heroic legends explaining their origins and their survival. Many cultures are aware of their unique oral traditions that shed light on their history and development. 

The Aborigines of Australia have their ‘Dreaming’; Greeks and other European civilizations look back at their larger-than-life saga and legends. In Asia we still enjoy many varieties like hand-puppets, shadow puppets, dances and plays that narrate myths like the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

In Indonesia, a ‘dalang’ is a puppeteer and is still revered by many people. The ‘dalang’ has magical powers. With his knowledge and clever use of words, experiences, jokes and even foolishness he takes his audience on classic journeys of how courage, patience and willpower can overcome defeat. He will paint fantastic possibilities in his listeners mind, so that they have hope and can live a better life.

You too can become an admired ‘dalang’, a great story teller, as long as you are willing to learn the necessary techniques and practice for speaking in public. As you live your life, work, learn and have fun, you experience many big and small incidents that shape you. Are you aware and in the moment to register these lessons and experiences? There is absolutely no reason anybody can say: “Nothing ever happens to me that would be of interest to others!” So what are important ingredients for successful story telling?

1. Dialogue

“In order to let your audience experience the happenings in real time, use dialogues” says John Rogan of Motivational Speakers. “That’s when you can express the mind-set of the people involved in the narrative. You can show their real emotions with your face and body, which will draw your audience into the story. Be sure to use appropriate vocal variety for an even greater impact.”

Dialogues can be between:

• Two or more people
• Speaker talking or thinking to him/herself
• Speaker with the audience
• Speaker with animals or objects (car, computer etc.)

2. Characters

Select the people in your story carefully. Mention only the absolutely necessary persons that are important to your plot and give each one a name and an attribute; so that your listeners easily understand who is doing what and when.

3. Make a Point

“Teach a life lesson, and give some advice or hope” says Chris Adams of Motivation Ping. “Make sure your audience understands clearly why you tell this particular story at this point of your presentation. Never ever assume, they automatically understand your conclusion. Give your listeners clear statements to what you mean or want them to understand.”

4. Pause

Pausing is a vital element in storytelling. Before you get to the climax of your account be sure to pause, so as to make your audience anticipate your next words. Give your audience the chance to digest fully all the dialogues, the words and non verbal communication. Don’t be afraid of silence at appropriate spots.

A good story is woven like a good quality piece of handmade cloth. The pattern is clearly visible and can be understood in an instant by anybody just like this beautiful hand woven piece on this page, a ‘Ships Cloth’ from Sumatra. Many stories though are unclear, the reason to tell it, the lesson to be learned are often muddled, just like a bad undistinguishable pattern in a cheap cloth.

Great speakers and sales people know the power of storytelling. They learn and practice this easy and very effective form of transmitting information in an entertaining way. They utilize all the emotional tools necessary to take their audience on a touching journey and help their listeners solve problems. “Tell a story and sell a point!” is a saying by Craig Valentine, World Class Speaking and master in story telling. Master this craft and your speaking will never be the same again!

At least twice a year, most school districts conduct parent teacher conferences. These meetings provide parents the opportunity to meet with teachers to discuss academic achievements and concerns as well as any social issues that may have arisen. Parents and teachers are really a team, working toward the goal of developing the student to his or her fullest potential. These biannual meetings may be the only chance for the “team” members to talk.

To make the most of the brief time frame during which parent teacher conferences take place, parents can prepare themselves ahead of time by knowing what to ask. “It’s important that parents invest the time to be properly prepared before the meeting so that they can get the most from it” suggest Sam Miller of Parenting Teenagers Academy. The following questions can be asked during the teacher conference to generate useful insight from parents and teachers alike regarding the student.

Child’s Performance in School

To begin a discussion of a student’s academic progress, parents can ask the teacher: “In your opinion, is my child performing at his or her personal best or could he or she be doing more in this particular subject area?“

It is easy to get preoccupied with the letter grade that appears on the report card. Ultimately, the goal should be to check to see if the student is appropriately meeting the education challenges of the given subject area as best as he or she can. Parents should be satisfied with a “B-” if the teacher provides evidence that the child is meeting the challenges of the subject area at his or her personal best.

If it appears the child is struggling, parents can ask for ideas to use at home to enhance comprehension. Of course, if a particular course of study comes easy to the student it is worthwhile to inquire as to how to encourage an even greater understanding of the subject matter. Teachers are usually willing to provide ideas for further reading and exploration of the content if the child has earned an “A” but has done so without much effort.

 Quality of Child’s Classwork

Effort in the classroom is not always easy to interpret at home. To find out how well a student is applying his or her abilities, the following question provides a great starting point for a discussion of a student’s efforts: “Is the quality of my child’s work consistent?“

Today’s youth are overwhelmed with options when it comes to extracurricular activities. Parents should make sure that these activities are not interfering with the quality of classroom work or the effort he or she is putting into the work. If the teacher notes a lack of consistency, concerned parents should do some research to find out the cause. Often times students need help prioritizing commitments. If sport practices, social outings or an after school job are causing academic inconsistencies perhaps some intervention may be required.

Let Teachers Share Concerns

The teacher may have concerns as well. If the teacher does not address any concerns, parents can check to be sure none exist by asking: “Are there any concerns that should be brought to our attention?“

Once a child’s academic effort and performance have been discussed, it is important to leave time for the teacher to talk. This is the time he or she will likely address any social concerns and share classroom observations. There may be special concerns that the teacher would like to bring to the attention of the parents and it is at this point during the parent teacher conference that they will do so.

Bringing your child’s teacher gifts can go a long way in letting them know that they are appreciated. Their job isn’t easy, and getting a gift every now and then can help them keep a positive attitude and keep teaching their students in a healthy, fun environment.

Using these three questions as a framework for the next parent teacher conference will help both parents and teachers to maximize the limited amount of time that is scheduled for these valuable meetings.