1. Control the Roast

A good cup of coffee always starts with the beans. If you prefer to rely on finding roasted beans from a supplier, then make sure they are of highest quality. Often, this proves to be difficult and the ultimate way could be to roast them yourself. Remember, fresh is always the best.

2. Storage Techniques

One solid method of storing beans is to ration them. Separate your beans into three airtight containers, add enough beans for a one week supply. Store one on the counter at room temperature, one inside the refrigerator and the final container within the freezer. Rotate when necessary.

3. Check the Octane Level

Not all beans are created equal in terms of caffeine content. Additionally, individuals react differently to caffeine consumption. Sample and research a few types of beans and determine what tastes best for you while providing the best comfort.

4. Peak Performance

Research indicates a cup of coffee improves alertness and aids toward better physical performance. Caffeine is also a diuretic so be smart with this knowledge and always make sure you are properly hydrated.

5. Summer Delight

Plan the night before and enjoy your cold morning brew. Use the slow approach, add grinds to a cup of water, milk and keep in the fridge. In the morning you’ll be able to wake up to a drink to battle the hot summer day.

6. Good Pressure

Quite candidly, the oils from the coffee beans intensify flavour. Invest in a French press and extract the true essence coffee has to offer.

7. Go Green

Are you thinking about how to become more environmentally conscious? Used grinds have a variety of uses such as cleaning and control of garden pests.

8. Blueprinting Success

If you are an owner of a coffee shop then consider an artistic approach with your offerings. Create colourful diagrams highlighting special ingredients and expectations. This style helps customers become more confident with selections.

9. Turn up the Heat

High heat releases more flavour. Drip coffee drinkers can actually find better taste by adding hot water to the machine rather than cold.

10. Presentation

Presentation is the key to any great dining experience. An attractive mug, quality brew and the perfect blend of chocolate and spices are essential.

11. Make it Look Pretty

You have made a really delicious coffee but you just need to make it look perfect. If you are having a cappuccino or a latte, why not finish it off with some art on top or more commonly known as “Latte-art”. This can be done by designing a pattern on card, cutting it out and then sprinkling chocolate power over the stencil so that the design appears on the foam of the coffee. Alternatively you can create a design by pouring the milk into your drink just right, if you are interested in doing this make sure you watch some tutorials on YouTube.

This guest article was written by Andrew Jones who is the Head of Marketing for a UK based commercial vending and coffee machine rental company Express Vending. Express Vending’s work all over London offering a fully serviced package for their coffee vending machines.

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There are some essential things that all contact lens wearers should know in order to protect their eye health while wearing lenses. Here are some top tips for contact lens wearers.

1. Cleanliness is Key

Always wash your hands thoroughly with an antibacterial wash before putting lenses in and taking them out. This will help to keep your lenses sanitary and your eye area hygienic. An antibacterial hand gel may be useful to keep in your bag for easily removing lenses on the go.

It is also important to keep your contact lens storage case clean at all times, and only wash your lenses with a specialized, fresh solution.

2. Have Regular Eye Checkups

Regardless of whether you’re a contact lens wearer, it’s important to attend regular eye tests so your optician can check your overall eye health and to ensure that your prescription is up-to-date. Opticians recommend an eye test at least once every two years although for contact lens wearers, your retailer may require yearly exams.

Visiting your optician also offers a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have about your eyes or vision. If you would like to try another brand of contact lenses, booking an appointment is the perfect opportunity to get their professional opinion. Similarly, you can refresh your memory on what the best contact lens wearing, cleaning, and storing routine is for you.

3. Always be Prepared

If you work in an office environment, or in a workplace where your work heavily relies on the use of a computer, you may find that you experience dry eyes. This is because reading or staring at a computer screen will slow your blink rate down, meaning your eyes produce less moisture. You should always carry a pocket sized solution and your lens case with you, in case you need to remove your lenses in the office or on the go. Having a bottle of eye drops is also a good idea to provide instant relief from any dry eye symptoms you may experience.

4. Choose your Contact Lens Retailer Carefully

You may choose to buy your lenses online, due to the lower prices compared to the high street and the convenience of having them delivered quickly to your door. If you decide to order your lenses online, it’s important that you choose a reputable reseller, as contact lenses are a medical item. Avoid non-specialist sites, and make sure that you opt for a company that has lots of customer testimonials to back up any claims they may make.

5. Contact Lenses and Makeup

If you wear eye makeup such as eyeliner or mascara, make sure you always insert your lenses before applying. Not only will this help you to see better, but it will also significantly reduce the chance of getting makeup on your contact lenses.

Also remember to remove your contacts before taking your makeup off at night, and don’t use makeup products for longer than three months to keep your eye area as sanitary as possible.

This guest article was written by Gemma Wills who works in the optical industry for online contact lens retailer NextDayLenses, and regularly blogs about eye health among many other related subjects. In her spare time she enjoys cooking and reading.

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Even though you are busy with studies, find time to visit places outside your host university whether you are studying in Germany or any other European country. You will learn so much more about Germany as a country, the culture and its people. Besides it is a great way to make new friends and brush up on your German.

Planning

Even though this sounds obvious many people just go to a new city without a plan. It’s great to be spontaneous, but not advisable before traveling, as you won’t make the most of your visit. Plan the what, where, and how.

Save

You can find cheap deals to travel around Germany, with discount cards for trains called Bahncard that often include single tickets for long journeys. The card costs only 25 euros and is valid for 4 months.

Sparprais are one-way train tickets for 19 Euros for traveling up to 250km. Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket(translated as “lovely weekend ticket”) is only 49 Euro for 5 people if you want to travel with friends.

Ride-sharing is popular and safe option and you can try hitchhiking if you feel adventurous.

Travel Light

During your classes and assignments your best bet is to travel for the weekend. It’s a short stay and I would advise not to pack too much. Basics will suffice for a weekend trip but don’t forget to take appropriate clothes as even in summer weather is colder in mountain areas.

After you enjoy the mobility and freedom of light travel you won’t go back to packing too much.

Take Your Camera

Memories – who wouldn’t want to permanently record them? With a smartphone or digital camera take pictures and videos. If you don’t have a phone, paper and pen will suffice to capture special moments so you can share them with your family and friends on social media or privately.

Speak German

Wherever you go people will be fonder of you if you speak the native language and, at the same time, you can improve your basic knowledge of German. No matter what level you are, you will learn more by speaking the language with the locals at every chance you get.

Mix It

Germany offers virtually anything imaginable to do. So if you go to a new city or state try to visit few different places, such as a museum, sport game, bars, or catch a gig. You can go shopping, to a musical, or head out to the opera. See a football game or in the winter go skiing in the Alps.

Stay Healthy

Take precautions on long distance trips not to get dehydrated. Drink water and juice at every chance you get. While traveling you should control your sugar, coffee, and alcohol intake. Be smart when it comes to eating out and avoid unhealthy looking restaurants. Keep clean and avoid touching your face and eyes and use a hand sanitizer. Lastly, get enough sleep as two days in a row with less than six hours of sleep can give many a slight cold. Fruits help as well, so you can be at your best to have fun and enjoy your trip!

This guest article was written by Joyce Schreiner who is is a blogger from Manchester, England who had the chance to study Journalism in Germany as an international student. She loved the country so much that she decided to stay in Germany and live there. She blogs at www.GermanyStudyGuide.co.uk a website for UK students in Germany.

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Cancer prevention lifestyle changes such as exercise, not smoking, and dietary changes have also become common. Not only has cancer prevention and cancer treatment advanced in leaps and bounds, but cancer screening technologies have improved as well and early detection always improves treatment odds. Here are three cancer screenings you should be sure to undergo.

1. Breast Cancer

Men and women need to be proactive regarding breast cancer. Almost one-quarter of a million women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually. Women should conduct self-tests monthly and men should visit a physician for any lump or nodule that is palpated in the chest and breast area.

Mammograms have become the screening method of choice for most physicians with its frequency based upon a woman’s age and family history. The procedure is straightforward and designed to be as comfortable as possible for participants despite the necessary manipulation of each breast to obtain necessary images.

2. Colon Cancer

Colon cancer is diagnosed in just over 140,000 Americans annually. The most common non-invasive screening tool, used for decades, has been an evaluation to determine if an individual is slightly bleeding in the colon. A tiny amount of a stool sample is collected with a wooden stick and smeared across the designated paper square that is part of the collection kit. The sturdy collection envelope is then permanently closed and the device is delivered to a laboratory to determine if hidden blood cells are in the sample.

While this test is still used in certain circumstances, most individuals undergo a colonoscopy examination on an outpatient basis. The procedure allows the physician to carefully examine the small and large intestine for any polyps or nodules. Polyps are excised and sent to be biopsied. This procedure is virtually pain free and is usually conducted while you are under light sedation. The most pain you will likely experience will be the nurse starting an IV in your arm for later administration of anesthesia. Colonoscopies are scheduled based upon a patient’s medical history, family history, and age.

3. Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is the only gynecological cancer that has a screening test– the Pap Smear — and through its use, over 12,000 women are diagnosed with the disease. Cervical cancers caught early can be treated relatively easily and this is one reason that women are advised to have one completed annually. HPV or Human Papillonoma Virus is thought to cause over 70 percent of cervical cancers. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease and is said to infect half of all sexually active individuals. The Pap Smear is obtained by scraping a small area of the cervix and the resulting tissue is then biopsied.

Regularly undergoing these three cancer screenings can save your life while literally, the most pain a patient will experience during all three will be the IV started for the colonoscopy. Call your doctor today and don’t avoid these three cancer screenings that could literally save your life.

This guest article was written by Peter Ewens who represents Natural Horizons Wellness Centers, an integrative wellness and medicine practice based in Fairfax, VA that offers natural cancer treatment for patients with prevalent types of cancer.

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Peer pressure has nothing to do with the strength of one’s personality but is more about conforming with the people around us in order to get along. We think that peer pressure doesn’t influence the major decisions in our lives, but instead, only influences things like our choice in music or fashion, the types of television programs we watch, and whether we smoke or drink. But is this really true?

At college, as we struggle to identify who we are and who we will become, being influenced by the people around us is natural. There are very few of us who can withstand peer pressure because it is not an obvious pressure at all, in most instances. It is a gentle and regular persuasion to which we sometimes succumb.

What is important to realize is that peer pressure can define the decisions that we make without us even realizing it. After all, if we think back in our lives, weren’t we influenced by the likes and dislikes of our best friends or people that we respected?

Positive vs. Negative Peer Pressure

There are different types of peer pressure, both negative and positive. Negative peer pressure is about doing something that you may not agree with but because it is acceptable behavior for the people around you, it becomes acceptable to you as well. A lot of these negative peer pressure decisions that we make can often be defining decisions.

Picking up smoking as a habit, becoming involved in regular drinking sessions, our attitudes on sex and even drugs are inevitably influenced by the people around us, consciously or unconsciously. This type of peer pressure can result in us making defining decisions that will affect our lives either immediately or in the future. The reality is that peer pressure in such situations is about you fitting in, and ultimately, losing your individuality.

The good news is that once you realize the negative impact that peer pressure has on your life, you can choose to change the direction you are heading in. Take a step back and look at the people around you. If you were not a part of this group, what would you think of them?

Peer pressure is about being influenced by one’s peers meaning the people around you. If you don’t like what you see, and you are not comfortable with the people around you, change them and it will change you.

Pick and choose your friends, and this is not about how wealthy they are or what cars they drive. It is about who they are and what kind of influence they can be. Ever heard the phrase “birds of a feather flock together”? Well then, choose wisely.

Surrounding yourself with a good peer group can help influence how you look at life and how you do things. Making this choice may become a defining decision for you and for your future, both personally and professionally.

This guest article was written by Paula J. who is an experienced writer contributing to various educational websites, including www.solidessay.com, which is a college paper writing service based in the US.

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1. All Season Enjoyment

A sun room is a comfortable little nook in your house for all seasons. Why exactly is it called a sun room? Obviously, it lets the sun in, but moreover with energy-efficient glass like Comfort 365 glass, it keeps the heat out during hot, summer days. In the winter you can enjoy a panoramic view of your surrounding winter wonderland while enjoying the warmth of your home.

2. Increased Living Area

It will add to your living area and at a cheaper cost than a stick built room. Some manufacturers and installers say that the time to complete a sun room is 60 percent faster than a stick-built-room. And if it’s cheaper than a stick built room, it’s definitely cheaper than standard construction consisting of brick and mortar. So if you need more space, a sun room is probably the most cost-effective option. You’ll get more space for the money you invest.

3. Energy-efficient

Save energy by adding a sunroom instead of a regular room. Sun rooms allow natural light to flow through and energy-efficient glass and installation can save you loads of money in energy consumption in the long term. This type of sun room can also add more value to your home.

4. Stress Reduction

Reduce stress. There’s something about natural light and a scenic view of the outdoors that instills a sense of rest and make it easy for you to de-stress after a hard day’s work. It’s also a great place for the family to come together and enjoy quality family time.

5. Multi-Purpose Space

A sun room serves a multi-purpose function. It can be used as a den, a guest room, a play room, a dining area or you can turn it into an indoor garden area adding to the beauty of your home. The options are endless and it’s up to you how you and your family would want to make use of your sun room. For year-round comfort, remember to install heating and air-conditioning units to your sun room. Energy-efficient glass installation will add to your energy-saving benefits.

You should consult a local sunroom manufacturer and arrange for a free in-home consultation to see how a sun room can add to space and beauty of your home.

This guest article was written by Jennifer Rossi who has worked as a professional interior designer for over 10 years. During those years she has helped hundreds of families renovate and transform their living space into designs that are more functional, comfortable and energy-efficient. Jennifer has transformed historical homes, re-modeled patio rooms and sun rooms, made aesthetic use of replacement windows and doors, siding, roofing and landscaping.

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This year, for example, Alabama University and West Virginia University might be able to offer an athlete a full ride package, when the next school year that same athlete could find a better scholarship offer from a different institution.

So simply listing a bunch of colleges willing to offer scholarships might not be the best solution for those students to whom this would apply. This is especially true considering that universities will usually come to you if you qualify. However, there are many things that you can and should do if you want to be a contender – here’s where to start!

1. Be Your Academic Best

Athletic scholarships are not typically given out to mediocre athletes with mediocre grades. Scholarships are awarded to high school students that excel on the field and stand out from hundreds of thousands of other athletes around the country attempting the same thing.

This means that you have to be working around the clock to be the best, and that often extends beyond athletics. Schools want to offer scholarships to players that can maintain their grades and play for their school consistently. So, academics are playing a huge part in the scholarship process, now more than ever.

2. Be Aggressive

Some players are going to be pursued by colleges without having to do anything other than what they already do – play their sport well. However, many scholarships are awarded every year to students who had to send out packages to colleges and universities nationwide showing their skills. This is a competition, and you have to be persistent and unyielding.

3. Compile a Highlight Video

If you are not getting hounded by staff from nationwide colleges, chances are these coaches and staff members have not seen what you are able to do on the field. Compile a highlight video that can easily show your strengths and abilities across the board. For example, Tom Brady when he was in high school, created a set of recruiting videos, this one being the introductory video, with his coach which helped him get a scholarship to play football for the University of Michigan.
If you are a running back for instance, you would obviously want a lot of breakaway runs and impressive maneuvers in your video. Along with this, you will want to show how good you are at your other roles on the field such as pass/run blocking and pattern execution for screen plays.

4. Partial Scholarships

Universities do give out full ride scholarships for specific sports, but these are not always the easiest to get. Sometimes, schools are much more inclined to split up this scholarship to pull in more athletes to their team.

So you should weigh some of the options like these for schools that can offer you a distinct opportunity for a great education or an opportunity to reach the next athletic level from collegiate competition. Also remember that if you don’t necessarily get offered anything substantial right out of high school, you can be a walk-on at many schools. After a successful season, you might be able to qualify for the same scholarship that your teammates have.

5. Consider Division II Schools

Sometimes, the allure of quality education is more appealing than the slim chance of professional sports dreams. Division II schools are often equally good academically as Division I schools, and offer competitive athletic scholarships to athletes willing to pursue this smaller circuit of collegiate sports. Just because you’re not in the Big 12 doesn’t mean that you can’t find a school that offers qualify competition for a national audience. If you don’t get into Iowa or Nebraska, why not try Creighton or Green Bay?

So there is no distinct way to list what schools are the best for getting scholarships, because there are just too many variables. What you can be certain of is that this field is highly competitive and these awards are given to promising athletes willing to show what they can do on and off the field. If no one is coming to you, ask your coach or athletic director what you can do to get your name out there and make connections.

Tom Brady took it upon himself as a no-name to market himself and his skills to potential colleges and look where it got him!

This guest article was written by Jenna Ryan who writes about everything education-related. Most recently, she has created a series of pieces on the Top 10 Best Master’s in Health Informatics Degrees.

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For most homeowners, that means breaking out your green thumb and putting some life back into your lawn and garden for spring. Here are five tips that will ensure a green lawn and a healthy garden when warmer weather is here for good.

1. Remove excess debris

Winter brings more than just snowfall. It likely brought a pile of debris, leaves, dead grass, and sticks that helped insulate your lawn and garden during the cold months but will suffocate it during the spring. Raking them up will also help you aerate the ground for better airflow. Bonus: Take this excess debris and compost it to condition the soil when you start planting.

2. Revitalize dead grass with new seeds

Your lawn will have a natural life cycle with the seasons, but sometimes patches won’t make it all winter. In those areas with dead grass, rake it heavily to open up the surface. Then, apply a fresh layer of grass seed. You’ll need to water this area more frequently than the rest of your lawn to ensure substantial growth.

One common problem in areas with heavy snowfall is snow mold, which are patches of dead, matted grass that didn’t receive enough oxygen during winter. Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to treat it. It’ll stay inactive during warm months but come back during the cold. To prevent it next season, mow your grass for as long as it’s still growing, and apply nitrogen fertilizer just before the grass becomes dormant.

3. Weed out young weeds

If you see any weeds now in your garden bed or lawn, pull them out now. It’ll be easier to do since their roots are shallow. To prevent future growth of the weeds, cover the spots with a fresh layer of mulch, about 3-4 inches. Be sure to leave a couple of inches of space between the mulch and your plant stems or tree bases to reduce any rot from appearing.

4. Test your soil

Your soil’s pH level will change and may drop because of the climate change, causing it to become too acidic and will hinder growth. You can buy a home soil pH test at any local hardware store, or you can test it yourself. If the pH level is below 6, add ground limestone to your soil several weeks before you start planting in order to neutralize the acid.

5. Prepare for hard frosts

Just because spring is coming, you’re not out of the clear yet for colder temperatures. Throughout February and March, there’s still plenty of time for a hard frost that could kill any young seeds — peas, spinach, and lettuce are common vegetables planted early — that you’ve already planted. Keep an eye on the temperature, and if a frost is coming, cover your seeds with anything. Yes, anything. You don’t need to buy something specific: a blanket, a bucket, a cardboard box or even a flower plant will work just fine.

What are some other tips you have for preparing for a green lawn and a healthy garden for spring?

This guest article was written by Erin Leigh who works in marketing for GelTech Solutions. She focuses specifically on Soil₂O, an eco-friendly soil conditioner that allows plants to retain more water in their root zone.

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Sometimes the pressure is self-induced, and sometimes it comes from an outside source, which is usually the parents. Parents can sometimes unknowingly add to their child’s anxiety about exams and can cause a negative reaction in their child, even if their child is not normally of a nervous disposition.

Where is the pressure coming from?

Is it the parents’ fault for putting too much pressure on the child? Does the student have too little exam experience? Is the teacher pressing the more intelligent students for results?

Is the person taking the exams already of a nervous disposition? There are many reasons why a person may feel exam pressure, but sometimes creating a coping mechanism involves nothing more than finding out from where the pressure is coming.

Alleviating stress with a structured studying process

As previously mentioned, it is often the most apt and dedicated students who worry the most about their exams. The students who skip lessons or students who do not concentrate in class are often less concerned about the outcome of their exams. Nevertheless, if a student is worried about exams then they are most likely under the impression that they do not know enough in order to get the grades they desire.

In many cases this is not true, because quite often the years of dedicated study has already laid a foundation of exam skills, written skills, and knowledge, to allow the student to score highly on any exam. Nevertheless, by creating a structured studying process, a student is able to relieve some of this self-induced pressure. The student’s main concern about not knowing enough is often squashed if the student knows that his or her studying process is productive, efficient, and actually working.

Maintaining a balanced lifestyle in the build-up to exams

A student’s priorities change when exams approach and some people take up a lifestyle that is very unbalanced and counterproductive. The student begins to focus too much on studies and school with the notion that doing anything else is a misuse of their time.

Students have been known to miss sleep, shun friends, eat poorly, and miss out on exercise. Even the most adaptable students will feel the negative effects of this within a few days. Quite often a student will feel some sort of burn-out, where he or she is too tired or stressed to concentrate on studying.

Though the amount of study and review will probably be stepped up during the exam season, a student should be encouraged to take breaks. A student should never miss any sleep, even at the expense of missing studying time. A student should eat correctly and try to take at least a little bit of exercise, even if this means walking the dog.

Social matters may not be at the forefront of the students mind, but some students have been known to feel isolated and alone when exam pressure starts to build. A quick visit from a partner or a trip to a friend’s house may help the student realize that there is a world outside their front door.

Coping strategies for numbing anxiety on the big day

The most effective strategy comes from acceptance. When exams roll around, a student needs to accept that nothing he or she can do now is going to increase their chances of getting a good grade. There is nothing that they are going to learn over the next few days that is going to bump up their grade, or stop them from failing their exams.

The student needs to accept that it is the work they have done over the previous years, and the foundation of knowledge that they have built, which is going to ensure that they pass their exams. Accepting the fact that the students ability to pass the exam is now out of their control is often a massive relief for the student.

Belief can be used to numb anxiety on the big day. Cultivating a belief that the exam is going to be easy for them will often turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Being sure that he or she will finish with time to spare is often such an absurd feeling that the student cannot feel anxious about the test.

A student should make two exciting life plans, one for if he or she gets his or her desired grades and one for if he or she does not. Being able to enter an exam whilst safe in the knowledge that failure still offers an exciting future makes it very difficult for them to become anxious about the exam.

This guest article was written by Laurent Kelly who works for UK Essays, an organization that provides assistance to students with its essay writing service.

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Fear is a release of chemical stimuli within our brains that affect our heart rate, breathing patterns, and muscle tension as we recognize a potential (or assumed) threat. One of these potential threats — an assumed threat — every person will experience is public speaking.

Bob wrote an article called Speaking of Success back in 2009 regarding the top 12 fears for people. Public speaking, at this time, was considered #2. In connection with our chemical dispositions, I have noticed that introverts are more likely to fear public speaking than extroverts. This article, however, will suggest five ideas as to why people fear public speaking as well as address five positive ways to decrease our fear of public speaking.

Five Reasons for the Fear of Public Speaking:

1. Public Speaking is Innately Stressful
2. Wrong Purpose in Mind
3. Unorganized Material
4. Emulating Other Speakers — Rather than being Ourselves
5. Desire for Perfection

1. Public Speaking is Innately Stressful

Our culture, unfortunately, has established a false notion that public speaking is innately stressful. The stress associated with public speaking emerges from our personal convictions, our beliefs, and our immediate education which affects our unconscious mind. Our unconscious mind, in turn, influences our thoughts and specific behaviors in connection to our external environment. In essence, if a person cultivates the idea that public speaking is not innately stressful, then, the individual’s unconscious mind will less likely stimulate a conditioned response that we associate with fear.

2. Wrong Purpose in Mind

When we begin our presentation, our minds should be focused on contributing and giving, rather than getting. People easily recognize speakers who are confident versus arrogant, contributors versus consumers, and givers versus takers.

One of the main reasons Anthony Robbins has been so successful is because he begins with the right purpose in mind. If I succeed in helping you, then I will succeed as a motivational public speaker. His definition of success is to help others succeed.

3. Unorganized Material

One of the reasons people consider public speaking stressful is due to their inability to organize their thoughts in a methodical manner. This may result from lack of preparation, a lack of education, or the idea that more information is better. All good speakers have something in common — an organized delivery of their topics and themes. This, however, is not to say that good public speakers are not flexible in their delivery. There is a difference between a flexible orator and a disorganized orator.

4. Emulating other Speakers – Rather than Being Ourselves

The opportunity to listen to an excellent speaker truly impacts our mind in a positive way. In light of this, it shouldn’t be too shocking that one reason why people fear public speaking is because they feel the need to emulate or speak like someone else. However, we are all individuals, and we only bring ourselves added stress by desiring to perfectly imitate another speaker. Rather, we should spend time assimilating specific principles all excellent speakers emanate, and then put them into practice according to our best self. We want to create within us the same principles they apply.

5. Desire for Perfection

One of the reasons public speaking is stressful is due to the illusion of presentation perfection. We erroneously maintain that our performance must be perfect, without flaw, the audience laughs at every joke, and they are continually at the edge of their seat — satiating their appetite with the divine wisdom spewing from our mouth.

The emotional tidal wave our audience is now experiencing is because we are good – no, perfect! This perfect imagination crumbles however, with our first stutter, wrongly chosen word, or question which stumps us. However, it wasn’t our presentation skills that made the difference as it was the illusionary fallacy we created in our minds that didn’t allow flexibility and thus resulted in our personal discomfort.

We have discussed five reasons why people may fear public speaking. This fear may stem from false notions, preparing with the wrong purpose in mind, unorganized material, desire to be someone other than ourselves, and the desire for perfection. If a person recognizes that they may mirror one of these reasons, then their recognition is the first step to making the appropriate changes in their behavior and mental constructs.

Five Tips to Effective Public Speaking

1. Introduction – Audience Learner Readiness
2. Confidence and Courage
3. A Logical Organization of our Ideas
4. Vocal Fluctuation
5. Ethical Presentations

1. Introduction – Audience Learner Readiness

An introduction is the speaker’s opportunity to use a metaphor/analogy, a story, a joke, or an object to transition a passive audience into an active audience. A well thought out introduction can also calm the speaker’s initial jitters before actually beginning their presentation.

2. Confidence and Courage

Confidence and courage are more a matter of attitude and how we present ourselves. I have noticed at times when congratulating speakers for their wonderful delivery and confidence they have responded, “Confidence? Thank you, I was very nervous the whole way through.” This has surprised me because the speaker didn’t appear nervous and actually appeared very confident.

When I consider their response, I am more inclined to believe we are better off to appear confident and courageous than to allow our fears to dominate us. I have enjoyed this statement with regard to personal fear,

“When we do the thing we fear, the death of fear is certain.”

The death of fear is certain because we have the courage to face it.

3. A Logical Organization of our Ideas

A logical organization to our ideas is tantamount to our success as public speakers. This is the difference between a rambling speaker and a thorough speaker.

A logical organization allows one idea to transition to another idea while sticking to the subject being presented.
Our ability to brainstorm a subject, break that subject into simpler parts, organize the relative parts, and then systematically deliver them is vital to a successful presentation.

4. Vocal Fluctuation

How we fluctuate our voice is possibly one of the hardest parts of public speaking. Voice fluctuation isn’t as hard as some speakers make it appear. For example, think about your everyday conversations with friends, co-workers, and family. Notice how easily when we tell a story our voice fluctuates, emphasizing specific highlights of the story – unless you are a high school Math or Science teacher.

Our voice is the body’s natural instrument. Our voice, like a person playing the piano, has the ability to crescendo (gradual increase in volume), or to decrescendo (gradual decrease in volume) at specific points when speaking. The best advice is to be natural when gradually increasing or decreasing the tone in your voice when speaking – similar to our everyday conversations. A person will crescendo their voice when emphasizing something important, or will decrescendo to draw the listener in as they have to focus more to hear your point. I have discovered when speaking about something sacred, important, or serious it is better to decrescendo than to crescendo.

5. Ethical Presentations

Our presentation should not be unethical or purely agenda driven, discarding facts to manipulate audiences to share your view point. If you plan on using buzz words then make sure they apply to the subject, not just to excite the audience, or that they are not purely emotionally driven phrases. In one simple phrase – be responsible.

In light of the information provided, our ability to speak in public effectively will not change overnight. The more we practice and actively change our perspective toward public speaking the better our experience will be. I conclude with this thought – Confidence and courage are not an absence of fear or stress; confidence and courage are what we do in the face of fear and stress.

This guest article was written by Andrew Exon who works for PMA Media Group, an organization committed to excellence and assisting eligible students to locate and become familiar with the best online colleges . His passions in life are spending time with his wife and 5 children, fly-fishing, and other hobbies.

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