Lots of helpful thoughts and suggestions above. Now to apply them...

Maybe part of our fear is culture induced. Or our upbringing's culture: Don't make a fool/spectacle of yourself. Sit down and be quiet. What makes you think you're so special? Not so loud. And etc...

Each year people from Juneau, Alaska and some towns in Russia visit each other. We always have house music parties when the Russians come.

One Russian told me that at Russian parties everyone is expected to contribute something, whether it's a song or a tune or a poem or a speech; that it is impolite not to. Gave me food for thought- but it wore off. :)

A trick that I've used in public speaking is to visually give the impression that I'm not nervous. That means leaving one's hands unclenched, taking even breaths, not locking one's knees... That translates to the result that you will then be less nervous, because the body recognizes and responds to the signals you give it.

I especially like Kendall's Why do I give this person the power to make me uncomfortable? If I can keep in mind that each one of us is the same being, and since I know I don't want to make others uncomfortable myself, I should be able to viscerally (sp) understand that I'm actually denigrating them.

As a friend once said,in apology, "Life is such a series of learning experiences, and I'm getting sick of it!"

Ebbie