Self Improvement Site
On The Internet! Take the Self Improvement Tour
On The Internet! Take the Self Improvement Tour
Articles from Nancy Daniels | Selfgrowth.com
- ***Is There a Difference Between Fear and Nervousness in Public Speaking? - by Submitted on Mar 18, 2010 from Nancy DanielsSome people are terrified just by the thought of public speaking; other people are nervous right before and during the opening of their speech or presentation. Is there a difference between the two? Most definitely. Fear is debilitating while I find nervousness to be a blessing. Webster’s ...
Views: 2679(4 votes) - ***Allowing Nervousness to Work for You in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Mar 18, 2010 from Nancy DanielsDry mouth, sweaty palms, heart racing, wobbly knees, jittery hands, stomach in knots, quivering lips. How many of these symptoms are typical of you before you even walk to the podium? Hopefully, at least one! Yes, I want you nervous because if you aren’t excited, agitated, stressed, or ...
Views: 2725(4 votes) - ***Get Your Elevator Speech Ready Today! - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2010 from Nancy DanielsDo you know how many opportunities are missed by not striking up a conversation with someone in an elevator for example? How about when you are waiting in line at a popular restaurant? Maybe you are sitting at the airport in preparation for your flight. Perhaps you are waiting for the doors ...
Views: 2782(5 votes) - ***Telling Someone They Need Voice Improvement Is Like Handing Them a Bottle of Scope! - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2010 from Nancy DanielsOne of the most frequent questions I hear is how do I tell my spouse, my friend, or a colleague that they need to improve their speaking voice? This really is a tough issue because if you approach someone advising them that their speaking voice needs some work, they are probably going to be ...
Views: 3337(5 votes) - ***When Others Can’t Hear You, Your Message is Lost! - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2010 from Nancy DanielsA problem that affects a surprising number of people is that of speaking too softly. If you are not able to be heard, then much is being lost in your life because your communication skills are not being recognized. In short, you are not effective – either professionally or personally. On the ...
Views: 2711(6 votes) - ***Are You Nasal, Denasal, or Possibly Both? - by Submitted on Mar 04, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWhile everyone recognizes a nasal voice in which excessive sound is traveling through the nose while speaking, many are unaware of the opposite extreme known as denasality. When you are congested or if you suffer from allergies, often the result is a voice in which little or no sound is able to ...
Views: 4259(5 votes) - ***What is Your Greatest Fear in Public Speaking? - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWith all the articles written on nervousness in public speaking, I thought I would approach this topic from a different perspective. Everyone gets nervous in public speaking (or should). There is a reason why it is man’s greatest fear. The question I would like to ask you is what is the one ...
Views: 4131(7 votes) - ***The Value of Body Language in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2010 from Nancy DanielsIn my last article I discussed the importance of using your face to express emotion in public speaking. In addition to your facial expression, though, is the language of your body because the latter talks as well during your presentation. The question is, ‘what is it saying?’ Standing ...
Views: 2898(4 votes) - ***What Your Face Is Expressing in Public Speaking – Or Isn’t! - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2010 from Nancy DanielsDid you know that your face and body talk? What are those two elements of your image saying about you when you deliver a speech or presentation? No matter how great your words, if your facial expression and body language are saying one thing but your voice is saying another, then you are ...
Views: 2594(3 votes) - ***The 3 Benefits of Nervousness in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Feb 19, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWhile you may not think that nervousness is beneficial in public speaking or for that matter in any other type of live performance, be it in the performing arts or in professional sports, the truth is that there are wonderful bonuses of the dreaded adrenaline rush. Many people, however, are ...
Views: 5204(6 votes) - ***Stop Worrying About the WHAT IF’s in Public Speaking and Start Focusing on the WHY NOT’s! - by Submitted on Feb 19, 2010 from Nancy DanielsSo much time is wasted worrying about what could go wrong in public speaking that the tremendous opportunities provided by speaking to an audience are often overlooked. No matter what your reason for speaking – be it a requirement of your job; be it the chance to introduce your new business, ...
Views: 2512(4 votes) - ***Had Enough of Chronic Hoarseness or Persistent Sore Throats? - by Submitted on Feb 19, 2010 from Nancy DanielsAre you experiencing chronic hoarseness or a persistent sore throat and you are not sick? If so, it is called vocal abuse and it will not go away on its own. In fact, it will more than likely get worse. There are some who suffer with these symptoms to the point that they even lose their voice ...
Views: 2651(4 votes) - ***What is Your Greatest Fear in Public Speaking? - by Submitted on Feb 16, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWith all the articles written on nervousness in public speaking, I thought I would approach this topic from a different perspective. Everyone gets nervous in public speaking (or should). There is a reason why it is man’s greatest fear. The question I would like to ask you is what is the one ...
Views: 3998(8 votes) - ***A Monotone Voice Does Not Sell in Public Speaking or Anywhere Else for That Matter! - by Submitted on Feb 16, 2010 from Nancy DanielsSpeaking in monotone is more than just a problem. It is boring. There is no other way to say it. The problem with a monotone delivery is that it puts your audience to sleep and it does so very quickly. If actors were to speak in monotone, television, movies and theaters would not be one of ...
Views: 5627(4 votes) - ***3 Things You Must Do to Improve the Sound of Your Speaking Voice - by Submitted on Feb 16, 2010 from Nancy DanielsIf you are looking for answers when it comes to improving the sound of your speaking voice, there are 3 things you should seek in your training because there are sseveral different approaches. You will find articles, books, CDs, and DVDs all promising to improve your voice. Which approach is ...
Views: 4791(8 votes) - ***What Is the Image You Are Projecting If You Speak Too Loudly? - by Submitted on Feb 12, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWhile there is no doubt that a loud voice can be most painful to your listeners’ ears, have you ever considered how your loud voice affects the image that you project? We are all concerned about image. Look at the number of articles and books written today on image and what it means for your ...
Views: 3216(4 votes) - ***Does Your LOUD Voice Make Your Listeners Cringe? - by Submitted on Feb 12, 2010 from Nancy DanielsHave you ever had a telephone conversation and the person on the other end of the line was speaking too loudly? What is your first reaction? Probably, to move the phone away from your ear. Talking too loudly is just as ineffective as speaking too softly except for one primary difference: the ...
Views: 7516(2 votes) - ***Don’t Ignore Vocal Abuse – It Won’t Go Away on Its Own! - by Submitted on Feb 04, 2010 from Nancy DanielsA surprising number of people suffer vocal abuse and are unaware that it is a problem which will not go away on its own. There are no drugs or medicines a doctor can prescribe that will end your suffering because the abuse is being caused by misplacement and/or overuse of your speaking voice. ...
Views: 2848(4 votes) - ***If You are a Whisperer, You are Doing Great Harm to Your Voice! - by Submitted on Feb 04, 2010 from Nancy DanielsI met a website designer named Donna at a business expo who had a wonderful, eye-catching display that was drawing large crowds of visitors. Unfortunately for Donna, she lost her voice after having spoken to perspective clients for only 1 hour. It was 10 o’clock in the morning and the expo was ...
Views: 2917(2 votes) - ***The #1 Injury Super Bowl Fans Will Experience This Sunday - by Submitted on Feb 04, 2010 from Nancy DanielsDefinitely the biggest day of the year when it comes to sporting events in America, Sunday’s Super Bowl game will result in thousands of injuries for fans that most will not take seriously. No, it is not overeating, gastric reflux, or drunken stupors. It does not involve your legs, your arms ...
Views: 2257(2 votes) - ***Which is Better in Public Speaking - Impressing or Expressing? - by Submitted on Feb 02, 2010 from Nancy DanielsThere is no doubt that public speaking is a battle, a battle often lost because the speaker is trying to be something or someone he is not. What is interesting about public speaking is that you stand a much better chance of winning the battle if you would stop trying to impress your audience. ...
Views: 2430(2 votes) - ***How to Find Your 'Real' Speaking Voice in 60 Minutes or Less - by Submitted on Jan 25, 2010 from Nancy DanielsRecently, I read an article about improving your voice in 7 days. While I do not agree with the writer’s suggestions or methodology, the truth is that you can actually find your ‘real’ voice in about 1 hour. Admittedly, your ‘real’ voice will not be a habit in only 60 minutes, but one of the ...
Views: 9996(4 votes) - ***Does Your High-Pitched Voice Do Justice to the Rest of Your Image? - by Submitted on Jan 22, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWhen someone looks at you, your visual image is obviously the first thing they see. And, that image has an impact on the other person – your attire, your figure, your face, your hair – everything that is presenting the picture of you. But what happens when you open your mouth to speak? ...
Views: 3691(2 votes) - ***The Best Way to Eliminate Excessive Nasality in Your Speaking Voice - by Submitted on Jan 21, 2010 from Nancy DanielsA few years ago, my son’s 7th grade teacher had the strange ability to increase the volume of her voice by means of her nose. While I have worked with thousands of people in voice and presentation skills, this particular ‘skill’ is something I had never heard before and haven’t heard since. ...
Views: 4041 - ***Take the Test to See If Your Speaking Voice Is Plagued by Excessive Nasality - by Submitted on Jan 21, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWhen you think of Fran Drescher in her role as The Nanny, what thought first comes to mind? Her beauty or her nasal voice? For many people, their first thought is her whiny voice which, over time, can be quite annoying, even nerve-wracking, for her listeners. While Drescher’s infamous sound ...
Views: 4277 - ***Kevin Spacey Is Proof That You Don't Need a Deep Voice to Have a Great Voice - by Submitted on Jan 14, 2010 from Nancy DanielsMany men wish that the pitch of their speaking voice was deeper – similar to that of James Earl Jones or Vin Diesel. You don’t need to be a bass, however, to have a great speaking voice; and, Kevin Spacey is proof of it. Warm, resonant, rich and melodious, Spacey’s voice is very soothing and, ...
Views: 5119(1 vote) - ***3 Steps for Adding Color to a Monotone Voice - by Submitted on Jan 11, 2010 from Nancy DanielsIf you are plagued with a voice that puts your listeners to sleep, it might be an idea to learn how to add some color – some life – some emotion to your delivery. Because we are unable to hear our own voice as others do, we are also unable to recognize when our delivery is less than expressive. ...
Views: 4052(1 vote) - ***A New Voice for 2010 Could Be Your Best New Year's Resolution - by Submitted on Jan 10, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWith the start of the New Year and the resolutions we vow to keep, there is one change that can improve your life – both professionally and personally – simply by discovering your ‘real’ voice. Easy to accomplish and guaranteed to get better with age, your ‘real’ voice is deeper in pitch, ...
Views: 3228(3 votes) - ***5 Steps for Great Voicemail Messages - by Submitted on Jan 08, 2010 from Nancy DanielsThe phone rings and suddenly you are confronted with leaving a message on someone’s voicemail. Panic ensues and you become tongue-tied or speechless. My first question would be to ask you what is your fear? Had someone indeed answered the phone, would you have been prepared to address that ...
Views: 3843(1 vote) - ***What You Need to Do in Public Speaking That You Probably Don't Do - by Submitted on Jan 08, 2010 from Nancy DanielsDo you know the #1 thing most novice speakers never think to do when delivering a presentation? It never crosses their mind and yet it is the one thing they are in desperate need of throughout their talk. And, once they lose it, they are in a constant race to catch up on it. No, I am not ...
Views: 3074(1 vote) - ***How Voice Training Can Aid in Accent Reductions - by Submitted on Jan 08, 2010 from Nancy DanielsAs a voice specialist, I have known for many years that a good voice improvement course can be an excellent means of accent reduction. Yesterday, I received an email from a Taiwanese man studying in Boston. His 1st language is Mandarin Chinese; and, he has been enrolled in an accent reduction ...
Views: 3159(1 vote) - ***5 Factors That Can Affect the Health of Your Voice - by Submitted on Jan 06, 2010 from Nancy DanielsHave you ever noticed that when you are extremely fatigued, your voice is much weaker than if you are energized? Not surprisingly, your vocal health is determined by the health of your entire body. Thus, if any of the following 5 factors are typical of your lifestyle, so too will the following ...
Views: 7168(2 votes) - ***Is Your Choppy Speech Putting Your Audience to Sleep? - by Submitted on Dec 15, 2009 from Nancy DanielsChoppiness in speaking occurs when you pause too often. Pausing in conversational speech is normal; pausing during a speech or presentation is ideal. Pausing too often, however, is tedious for the listener and is referred to as choppy speech. The problem with choppy speech is that you ...
Views: 6044(2 votes) - ***The Value of Listeniing in Good Public Speaking - by Submitted on Dec 14, 2009 from Nancy DanielsYou talk; they listen. You move; they watch. You make a joke; they laugh. You say something profound; they muse or applaud or frown. My question to you is whether you ‘listen’ to your audience or not. As much as you are the center of attention when addressing an audience, are you aware of ...
Views: 2241(2 votes) - ***The Only Way to Successfully 'Treat' Vocal Abuse - by Submitted on Dec 13, 2009 from Nancy DanielsI receive emails on a daily basis regarding vocal abuse – not just from those who are experiencing difficulty in talking but from singers as well. The only piece of advice I give them is to take the pressure off of the throat and vocal folds (cords) and allow their chest to become their ...
Views: 3034(3 votes) - ***Are You Ready to End Your Chronic Hoarseness and Persistent Sore Throats? - by Submitted on Dec 13, 2009 from Nancy DanielsIf you suffer from chronic hoarseness and are not sick, then you are likely in the throes of vocal abuse. While it is possible that certain antihistamines or other types of medications can produce irritation in your throat, for many people, prescribed drugs are not the cause. Vocal abuse is. ...
Views: 4035(3 votes) - ***What Shapes Your Voice -- Environment or Genes? - by Submitted on Dec 13, 2009 from Nancy DanielsSurprisingly, the answer to that question is actually your environment. While the innate quality of the speaking voice is something you inherit, there are numerous environmental factors that play a viable role in how you sound and speak. If you were raised in one of the southern states, it is ...
Views: 7625(1 vote) - ***What Is Your Voicemail Message Saying About You? - by Submitted on Dec 09, 2009 from Nancy DanielsYou are probably not comfortable hearing your voice on your voicemail or your answering machine and yet you may not realize that if you hear your voice that way, so does everyone else. Because the manner in which you hear yourself is vastly different than what the recording equipment is telling ...
Views: 3753(2 votes) - ***To Mark Your Script or Not? That Is the Question in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Dec 01, 2009 from Nancy DanielsIt is interesting to note the diverse opinions when it comes to marking your speech with pauses and smiley faces and underlining particular words for emphasis. My questions to you follow. Do you want to give a speech that is akin to delivering a script as if you were acting on a stage? Or, do ...
Views: 2949(2 votes) - ***Think Your Nasal Voice Is Sexy? Think Again! - by Submitted on Nov 30, 2009 from Nancy DanielsIt never ceases to amaze me the number of people who are so concerned with their visual image, watching their weight, working out, donning the most recent style of clothing, and yet are totally in the dark when it comes to the sound of their speaking voice. If you are plagued with a voice that ...
Views: 6753(7 votes) - ***When Your Speech Is Too Fast, You're More Likely to Have an Accident! - by Submitted on Nov 27, 2009 from Nancy DanielsSpeed in public speaking, or for that matter, in any type of communication, is very similar to that in driving a vehicle. If you move along at 100 miles an hour, you stand a greater chance of having an accident than if you are doing 75 mph. While I am a strong advocate of learning how to ...
Views: 1957(5 votes) - ***Tired of Sounding Like a Teenager or Even Younger? - by Submitted on Nov 20, 2009 from Nancy DanielsIf you answer the phone and the caller asks to speak to your mother, you might want to consider voice training in order to add some ‘years’ to your voice. Not that I want you to sound old. I don’t. Good voice training means that you will no longer sound like a teen or pre-teen. Instead, you ...
Views: 9684(5 votes) - ***The 2 Things You Must Do to Be Heard in the Club Scene and Not Lose Your Voice in the Process! - by Submitted on Nov 20, 2009 from Nancy DanielsA surprising number of young men email me regarding the difficulty they are having being heard at the club scene. What is happening is that they are yelling and are ending up with sore throats. Is there a way to solve this problem aside from not speaking? The answer lies in learning how ...
Views: 3195(6 votes) - ***In Public Speaking, What Does Your Visual Image Say about Your? - by Submitted on Nov 19, 2009 from Nancy DanielsOne of the best pieces of advice I give to my clients when teaching presentation skills is to always be prepared for the unexpected and that goes for your clothing as well as your visual image. Without a doubt, what you are saying and how you are saying are the most important aspects of your ...
Views: 3262(5 votes) - ***Why You Must Make Eye Contact with Your Audience - by Submitted on Nov 19, 2009 from Nancy DanielsImagine watching a speaker who has wonderful words of advice, encouragement, experience and/or success and that speaker never once looks in your direction – in fact, that speaker never acknowledges you or anyone filling those seats to hear his/her wonderful words. Does that happen? More often ...
Views: 3773(3 votes) - ***The 4 Characteristics of a Good Introductory Speech - by Submitted on Nov 19, 2009 from Nancy DanielsIf you are a member of a business or social organization, such as the Lions, the Rotary, a chamber of commerce, BNI or another type of leads or referral group, there is the possibility that you will be responsible for introducing a speaker at one of your meetings or functions. Known as the ...
Views: 12287(3 votes) - ***Plain Speaking is the Best Approach in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2009 from Nancy DanielsIf you are scheduled to give a speech or presentation, plain speaking should be your choice so as not to appear affected, superior, or on exhibit. Plain speaking, simply put, is the ability to speak and be easily understood by all in attendance. And, it goes hand-in-hand with the theory of ...
Views: 2944(4 votes) - ***Plain Speaking is the Best Approach in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2009 from Nancy DanielsIf you are scheduled to give a speech or presentation, plain speaking should be your choice so as not to appear affected, superior, or on exhibit. Plain speaking, simply put, is the ability to speak and be easily understood by all in attendance. And, it goes hand-in-hand with the theory of ...
Views: 1409(5 votes) - ***Plain Speaking is the Best Speaking in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Nov 05, 2009 from Nancy DanielsIf you are scheduled to give a speech or presentation, plain speaking should be your choice so as not to appear affected, superior, or on exhibit. Plain speaking, simply put, is the ability to speak and be easily understood by all in attendance. And, it goes hand-in-hand with the theory of ...
Views: 2570(3 votes) - ***Take Your Nervousness For a Ride During Your Next Presentation! - by Submitted on Nov 05, 2009 from Nancy DanielsInstead of trying to eliminate or put an end to your nervousness, would you be interested in one simple remedy that will allow you to grab on to your nervousness and take it for a ride? That is the feeling you get when you are in control of those nervous jitters and not the other way around. ...
Views: 2480(5 votes)