Matt Abrahams

Grace is really important in this. I think what helps many people is to realize that they're not alone in this, that lots of people suffer from this. A real quick story. The very first book I wrote was called Speaking Up Without Freaking Out. It's all about how to manage anxiety. I was in San Francisco airport.

They called my name over the loudspeaker because the chair I was supposed to sit in on the airplane was broken and they wanted to let me know that. I come back and the guy standing next to me said, you wrote that book on speaking anxiety. I said, yes. Have you read it? He said, no, but it helped me. I was like, you didn't read the book, but it helped you? What do you mean?

They called my name over the loudspeaker because the chair I was supposed to sit in on the airplane was broken and they wanted to let me know that. I come back and the guy standing next to me said, you wrote that book on speaking anxiety. I said, yes. Have you read it? He said, no, but it helped me. I was like, you didn't read the book, but it helped you? What do you mean?

They called my name over the loudspeaker because the chair I was supposed to sit in on the airplane was broken and they wanted to let me know that. I come back and the guy standing next to me said, you wrote that book on speaking anxiety. I said, yes. Have you read it? He said, no, but it helped me. I was like, you didn't read the book, but it helped you? What do you mean?

They called my name over the loudspeaker because the chair I was supposed to sit in on the airplane was broken and they wanted to let me know that. I come back and the guy standing next to me said, you wrote that book on speaking anxiety. I said, yes. Have you read it? He said, no, but it helped me. I was like, you didn't read the book, but it helped you? What do you mean?

They called my name over the loudspeaker because the chair I was supposed to sit in on the airplane was broken and they wanted to let me know that. I come back and the guy standing next to me said, you wrote that book on speaking anxiety. I said, yes. Have you read it? He said, no, but it helped me. I was like, you didn't read the book, but it helped you? What do you mean?

This is a great question because you have to find a very delicate balance. Those who study communication and conversation distinguish between supporting and switching tactics. A supporting tactic is where you reinforce what the other person is saying. And a switching tactic is where you switch to something that you want to say. And I'll link this to your question in just a moment.

This is a great question because you have to find a very delicate balance. Those who study communication and conversation distinguish between supporting and switching tactics. A supporting tactic is where you reinforce what the other person is saying. And a switching tactic is where you switch to something that you want to say. And I'll link this to your question in just a moment.

This is a great question because you have to find a very delicate balance. Those who study communication and conversation distinguish between supporting and switching tactics. A supporting tactic is where you reinforce what the other person is saying. And a switching tactic is where you switch to something that you want to say. And I'll link this to your question in just a moment.

This is a great question because you have to find a very delicate balance. Those who study communication and conversation distinguish between supporting and switching tactics. A supporting tactic is where you reinforce what the other person is saying. And a switching tactic is where you switch to something that you want to say. And I'll link this to your question in just a moment.

This is a great question because you have to find a very delicate balance. Those who study communication and conversation distinguish between supporting and switching tactics. A supporting tactic is where you reinforce what the other person is saying. And a switching tactic is where you switch to something that you want to say. And I'll link this to your question in just a moment.

And he said, just knowing that a book like that existed helped him normalize his fear. He said, I thought I was the only one because at my work, everybody's so good. But I realized you didn't just write the book for me. So my point here is you have to give yourself a little grace.

And he said, just knowing that a book like that existed helped him normalize his fear. He said, I thought I was the only one because at my work, everybody's so good. But I realized you didn't just write the book for me. So my point here is you have to give yourself a little grace.

And he said, just knowing that a book like that existed helped him normalize his fear. He said, I thought I was the only one because at my work, everybody's so good. But I realized you didn't just write the book for me. So my point here is you have to give yourself a little grace.

And he said, just knowing that a book like that existed helped him normalize his fear. He said, I thought I was the only one because at my work, everybody's so good. But I realized you didn't just write the book for me. So my point here is you have to give yourself a little grace.

And he said, just knowing that a book like that existed helped him normalize his fear. He said, I thought I was the only one because at my work, everybody's so good. But I realized you didn't just write the book for me. So my point here is you have to give yourself a little grace.

So if we're having a conversation, Hala, and you say, hey, I just got back from Hawaii. And I say, oh, which island did you go to? That's a supporting tactic. That invites you to say more. If I say, oh, I just got back from Costa Rica, that's a switching tactic. You want to balance these out.

So if we're having a conversation, Hala, and you say, hey, I just got back from Hawaii. And I say, oh, which island did you go to? That's a supporting tactic. That invites you to say more. If I say, oh, I just got back from Costa Rica, that's a switching tactic. You want to balance these out.

So if we're having a conversation, Hala, and you say, hey, I just got back from Hawaii. And I say, oh, which island did you go to? That's a supporting tactic. That invites you to say more. If I say, oh, I just got back from Costa Rica, that's a switching tactic. You want to balance these out.

So if we're having a conversation, Hala, and you say, hey, I just got back from Hawaii. And I say, oh, which island did you go to? That's a supporting tactic. That invites you to say more. If I say, oh, I just got back from Costa Rica, that's a switching tactic. You want to balance these out.