In his episode, we're going to talk about filler words and how to reduce the negative fillers that can be annoying. Fillers come in a few different formats. Some are just sounds. These fillers are the ones that, when we do them, we tend to get more nervous because we think the audience is judging us.

These are the ers, the uhms, the youknows, etc.

How to stop saying Um is one of the most common public speaking concerns. Um is a filler word. And filler words are a natural part of everyday conversation. A surprising fact, though, is that you’ll actually sound strange (or even fake) to your audience if you don’t use any filler words.

However, there is a negative impact of using too many of these vocal fillers. If um, you say um, too many um, ums in your speech, the repeated use over and over will become a distraction. This excessive use of these filler words has the potential to detract from your message.

A funny example of this was in the movie, We’re the Millers. Scottie P., the young girl’s date, keeps using the phrase, “You know what I’m sayin'” over and over. And, Jason Sudeikis’ character calls attention to each of these verbal crutches in a very funny way.

The good news about Scottie P. is that what makes this scene really funny is that most people don’t use these filler phrases in everyday conversation. They show up more often when we are speaking in front of a group or delivering a formal presentation. If you understand why that happens, you can fix this bad habit very easily.

The best speakers in the world have trained themselves, over time, to minimize their use of fillers. (Notice that I said minimize, not eliminate.) Excessive use of um and other filler noises can frustrate the audience and make the speaker less credible. With a bit of practice, though, you can use fewer filler words as well.

Full Show Notes at How to Stop Saying Um When Presenting

(https://www.fearlesspresentations.com/how-to-stop-saying-um-when-presenting/)

On this episode, I cover seven easy ways for ESL presenters (presenters who present in English but English is their second language) to reduce nervousness. If English is your first language, don't worry, because most of the tips will help you as well. In fact, the first four of the seven tips are things that anyone can use to reduce public speaking fear.

The remaining three tips are ones that are specific to ESL presenters (or presenters who are delivering presentations to international audiences.)

One of the major benefits of reducing public speaking fear if English is not your first language is that your accent will, theoretically, be less pronounced as your nervousness goes down. In the episode, I explain why this happens and how to make it happen if you find that audiences have a tough time understanding you when you present.

Full show notes are at We Help ESL Presenters Give Confident Presentations in English

(https://www.fearlesspresentations.com/a-step-by-step-way-to-help-esl-presenters-give-confident-presentations-in-english/)

In his episode, I'm getting back to our roots -- so to speak. The topic is How to Overcome Stage Fright. In the past, we've covered different forms of this performance anxiety, like Imposter Syndrome, and I've covered how to reduce public speaking fear on a number of episodes.

Stage fright is slightly different, though. It can come from public speaking fear or other types of stage performances like singing, playing music, acting, or performing in sporting events.

While doing the research for this episode, I made an interesting discovery that I'll reveal to you at the end of the show. Here's a hint, though, if you try to take a shortcut to overcoming this fear, you might make your stage fright worse.
Enjoy the three easy steps to eliminating stage fright. And if you enjoy the show, make sure to subscribe to the podcast and leave me a review on your podcast app.

Full Shownotes: How to Overcome Stage Fright

(https://www.fearlesspresentations.com/how-to-overcome-stage-fright-in-three-easy-steps/)