It’s okay to be nervous when you present! It’s perfectly normal. It’s your body’s way of telling you, “I care about doing a good job.” [Yes, I know, you would be fine without your body telling you in such a distracting way. Me, too.] The key to manage stage fright: don’t let it overtake you.

I took a stand-up comedy class. I did it mostly because it was the one art form I had never tried. I also thought it would be scary as hell. (It was.) As I observed my own journey with its frustrations, successes, and joys, I noticed the lessons I learned were applicable to corporate or workplace presentations, and public speaking.

Wonder why you get nervous when you have to speak? Do presentations at work make your nerves kick into high gear? Being nervous is normal. A bit of anxiety or nerves (aka stage fright) before presenting is indeed normal, and even good. Here’s how to manage it.

Michelle tries to calm her mind so she can present better, but it never seems to work. The question Michelle needs to ask herself is: “Can I calm my body?”