Browse through the backlog of this podcast with over 200 episodes (!!), and you’ll find a lot of advice on preparing to speak on stage. Advice like overcoming your speaking anxiety, using slides in your presentation, and practicing so that your flow and rhythm are natural. These topics make sense; as a speaker, you want your voice and talk to make a big impact.

But what about how you look while you’re speaking? If you struggle with body image and feeling comfortable in your skin, delivering a killer presentation can seem downright impossible.

Registered Dietician, coach, public speaker, and podcast host Brittany Braswell joined me on The Speak to Scale Podcast to talk about food and body obsession, how it can affect speakers from showing up, and how to feel more confident when speaking on stage.

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What to do when body image holds you back from speaking

Could body shame and food guilt be holding you back from speaking for your business? Are you avoiding showing up as the face of your company, or missing speaking opportunities because you feel uncomfortable in your skin? These are the people Brittany aims to help so they can break free from those constraints and rediscover their worth

What Brittany does is help her clients feel at peace with their bodies. It means your body is not distracting you from living your life. She helps women (and men) cultivate more peaceful, anxiety-free relationships with food and their body.

One thing you can do to begin changing negative perceptions of your body now? Brittany suggests reflecting on where your thoughts about your body are coming from. What are some of your core beliefs that could be telling you these distracting, negative thoughts and why? When you pinpoint these beliefs, you can start challenging them…and then overturning them.

Body freedom does not mean “body positivity”

Many people who struggle with negative body image constantly feel frustrated because self-affirmations or other methods for seeing their body differently are not working. Brittany has found that her audience often believes they need to jump from body hatred to body positivity in order to feel better and more confident.

But while body positivity focuses on changing the way you think about and speak about your body, you’re often still thinking about your body more than you want to be! Your body is still distracting you — just in a different way. That’s why Brittany helps people aim for peace and freedom in their body, rather than body positivity.

Okay, but…what do I wear on stage?!

The number one question I get when helping my clients prepare for a talk, no matter what we’re discussing about their presentation, is, “Okay, great, but…what do I wear on stage?” When someone tells me they don’t feel good about or confident in how they look, it’s always tricky understanding if they’re talking about their clothes or their body.

Brittany shared excellent tips that speak to the practical side of this issue (literally what you should wear) and the strategic side (how to change the way you feel about it all).

First, wear something that doesn’t draw your own attention. And pay attention to the underwear you’re wearing! It makes a big difference. You want clothing (including underwear) that doesn’t need to be adjusted. Clothing that isn’t digging in, riding up, or falling off. Talk about distracting.

Consider how you’ll be moving and speaking with a microphone, too. You might want looser pants with a bit of stretch to accommodate that mic clipped to you. If you’re wearing a dress, your mic may be clipped to your bra. Adding a belt for your mic to clip to can help. If you’re sitting on a couch or stool on stage, factor that into your outfit.

Last but not least, wear something you like that’s comfortable and gives you confidence! Don’t think about what other speakers will be wearing or what you think you “should” wear. Rock flats if heels make you nervous. Wear a dress if you hate pants. You do you. Show up authentically as yourself, feeling good and ready to share your message with your audience.

Try these exercises to feel calm before taking the stage

Whatever part of your appearance you’re worrying about on stage is probably not noticeable to other people. Not to say that negative body image is baseless, but it helps to remember that you are probably the only one thinking about how you look. And ultimately, it’s not about you! It’s about the people you’re speaking to.

Before you take the stage, however, it’s hard to ignore nerves and anxiety. So try these two quick exercises Brittany recommends to calm down:

A body scan. Start at the top of your head to the tips of your toes and notice what you feel, without judgment. Take stock of whether your hair tie is too tight, your lips are dry, your stomach hurts, and so on. You can take 15 seconds up to five minutes. This will help you feel grounded and in the moment.

The 5-4-3-2-1 technique. You might’ve heard of this exercise for anxiety before. Name 5 things around that you can see, 4 things that you can touch, 3 things that you can hear, 2 things that you can smell, and 1 thing that you can taste. You can do these in any order, but the point is to engage your senses and quiet those anxious thoughts.

What to do when body image holds you back from speaking

Brittany was full of fantastic knowledge and advice to share on body image that any speaker can benefit from, so be sure to listen to this whole episode! If you want to learn more about making peace with your body, feeling good about food, faith, and confidence, check out Brittany’s podcast, The Joy-Filled Eater.

Brittany is also launching a brand new membership in January for those looking for continued support with food and body freedom. Perfect if you want to achieve your speaking goals in 2024! You can join the waitlist here, plus find other resources and tools just for Speak to Scale listeners like you.