I seem to have difficulty “expressing” with people – my clients, girls, etc. Part of this is because I have trouble with eye contact. Fear is not really my issue. It’s just habit. I have trouble with language processing, and forming thoughts sometimes, and often times my train of thought just falls off the tracks. I understand about being present, and the power of dropping your social mask. But for me it is more about language formation and practicing being expressive and more extroverted.

I am more looking for cold hard fast, subtle nuances that professional speakers use – in any speech. I am trying to form a style list, to integrate and improve upon my own style. Such as Bill Clintons thumb when making a point, or outstretched palms indicating I have nothing to hide. Subtle body language and non verbal communication is what I am focusing learning at the moment. But also, facial expressions which are congruent with my thoughts and words. Is there a way to practice this? I think that this is what actors do.

Do you know of any website where I could find common professional speaker nuances? Like Non Verbal Communication? I find myself longing for a systematic speech that I could practice, which would encapsulate many of nuances that professional speakers have in common. I am working on developing my expressiveness as a speaker, a conversationalist. This is not about pretending to be another person, but rather, taking notice of commonalities amongst professional speakers / actors – and organizing them into a master speech that could be practiced, and that would allow me to efficiently, and systematically learn them and become more expressive with my language and emotions. Does that make sense?

The whole thing is delivery. But the time spent practicing the delivery will be maximized if I have a preset speech which encapsulates many of the common techniques…do you know what I mean?

I need to work on my expression – my delivery. I need to learn to be a more expressive person. But I want to do this efficiently, because my time is so limited to work on this stuff. Becoming a more expressive person takes practice, and years of time listening and admiring the way in which others express themselves. So the most efficient way I can see myself doing this, is by first recognizing what I admire in speakers, or extroverted conversationalists in general perhaps even writing it down, and then crafting it into a master speech about –anything really – and then practicing this speech repeatably. This would help engrain the concepts and gestures and expressiveness into me. If somehow was able to categorize many of these admirable commonalities that professional speakers share, into a master speech which could be practiced every week - that would be soooo helpful. Do you get me? Do you know of any resources, DVD, audio CD’s that might help me? Perhaps an acting homeschooling course that teaches one to be more expressive?
Thanks!
-Iriewise