Makes me remember the first time I gave a Dhamma talk. I spent the whole half hour before the talk doing walking meditation trying to calm down the butterflies in my stomach. Sure - fear of speaking in public. The way that I worked with it, was focusing on my intention of what I was going to do.
I can remember when I was in ninth grade in school and I ran for class president, I had to give a five-minute speech. I was not somebody who was easy in front of the class, you know, but I walked through it and I did it, scared, as every other kid would have been. My intention at the time, was to be somebody important, be the class president, you know, be a hip guy whatever.
When I was ready to give my first Dhamma talk, my intention was not to be something. I focused on that. I didn't ask to do it, the head teacher of the center asked me to give a talk, he knew that I had lots of meditation experience, so he asked me. I felt at first I wasn't going to do it because I was actually in the retreat as a student.
But then I opened the Compassion for the other people, thinking, well, yeah I can give that talk whereas the people who were teaching couldn't do so. And it was actually very similar to the Compassion/Lovingkindness meditation that I give here on the third night.
While I was walking back and forth, I looked at my intention over and over. I also reminded myself that this teaching that I am getting ready to give - it's not mine. I put together the talk in a special way but I got things from other teachers, as well. So while I was doing my walking meditation trying to calm my fear, I was reflecting that my intention was to actually help people.
My intention was to help people - my intention was not to be something. And it was not mine, it was not me-me-me that I was going to present. It was something that I put together, but it was from other teachers. It was all part of the Buddha-Dhamma that I was just passing on to others. Now over 20 years later our talks have helped many thousands of people.
So your intention behind what you are going to give is important. If your intention is out of Compassion for other people, it's easier to get up in front and speak to them. And that will help you let go of your fear.