Clichés

There’s not a day that goes by where I don’t either hear or use cliches. With being used so much by people, cliches really don’t hold that much weight and are pretty much dismissed as a general statement that was once a smart remark of some sort. As Webster defines them as a phrase or opinion that lacks original thought, most people understand the meaning of cliches even though they are predicable and unoriginal which is why I think people use them so much. Below is a list of the top 10 used cliches according to ThoughtCatalog:

1. Actions speak louder than words
2. The grass is always greener on the other side
3. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
4. You can’t judge a book by its cover
5. You can’t please everyone
6. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger
7. Love is blind
8. Ignorance is bliss
9. There’s no time like the present
10. Better safe than sorry

Dave Chappelle

It’s no secret that watching spoken word poetry videos is one of my favorite pass times, and it’s also no secret that Dave Chappelle, who’s back in the public eye after his Saturday Night Live monologue in November and receiving a $60 million deal with Netflix, is known for his controversial comedic acts. So, when I came across this video I thought it would be perfect to share this poem he did in 2002 on Def Poetry Jam with you all.

 

Speech Anxiety

With this blog being about things dealing with speaking, I’ve realized that I’ve talked about things such as spoken word poetry, tips to improve speaking and even music, but I never talked about speech anxiety, or what most people call it, stage fright. According to Breaking Down Barriers, a presentation coaching group, about 75% of people have a suffer from speech anxiety. The medical term for speech anxiety is ‘glossophobia’ and 19% of people have this fear, making it the #1 most common phobia.

Speech anxiety can range from a slight feeling of nerves to a nearly incapacitating fear. Some of the most common symptoms of speech anxiety are: shaking, sweating, butterflies in the stomach, dry mouth, rapid heartbeat and squeaky voice. Although it is often impossible to completely eliminate speech anxiety there are a variety of ways to deal with it and even make it work to your advantage.

Before the speech:

• Identify cause of nervousness
• Prepare speech early and thoroughly
• PRACTICE ALOUD! (about 7-10 times)
• Be aware of speech situation (Setting, intended audience, whether or not visual aids will be included, ect.

Day of Speech:

• Accept fear and use it as an advantage
• Wear confident clothing (a favorite sweater, new shoes, lucky underwear)
• Find friendly faces in the crowd
• BE CONFIDENT!

Ebonics 101

A few months ago, I made a post about a guy who basically tried to tell me that I wouldn’t make if far in my career path because of the way I speak. Although I handled myself pretty well in responding to him, using proper English, this spoken word poem by Steven Willis should have been my response.