Have you ever had a rush of nerves before giving a presentation?

Even though public speaking and conferences look different nowadays, the nerves we experience beforehand haven’t changed. I mean, after all, we’re still speaking to groups of people — even if it is through a screen.

As a professional public speaker and presentation coach, I’ve come to know throughout my career that nerves and anxiety surrounding public speaking are completely normal, common, and aren’t something we should feel ashamed of or run away from.

In this blog post, I’m going to explain why nerves are actually a good thing and how you can use them to your advantage. I’ll also go over some of the best practices to prepare, get into the present moment, and deliver a virtual presentation more confidently and with ease.

1. Recognize that your nervousness is fuel — embrace it!

You might not realize that feeling nervous before a presentation or speech indicates that...