Did you know breath is a powerful tool for calming your nerves? Here's how you can breathe for the most confident public speaking.
in.spi.ra.tion
1. a breathing in, as of air into the lungs; inhaling. 2. an inspiring or being inspired mentally or emotionally. (Webster’s New World Dictionary, Second College Edition).
Surprised to learn that the first dictionary definition of “inspiration” means breathing? Yet how interesting: to be inspired can mean to take air in and then become creative!
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To Overcome Stage Fright, Learn Proper Breathing
That dictionary definition is a reminder that to be engaging speakers, we need to breathe in enough air so we feel like our confident, comfortable selves. (What could be worse than running out of air, which happens with nervous speakers?) To know how to be at your best when speaking, in other words, you need to practice proper breathing.
Good breathing not only helps your concentration. It also slows your heart rate so you get enough oxygen! So, there's another benefit to good breathing: it provides your brain with oxygen so you can know how to think on your feet while speaking in public.
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Still looking for reasons to get in touch with your breathing? If you suffer from stage fright, you're apt to breathe rapidly and shallowly. Apart from being uncomfortable for you, your audience may notice that you struggle with speech anxiety. Their confidence in you and your message then takes a hit.
Here is another of my free resources to help you conquer speech anxiety: "10 Fast and Effective Ways To Overcome Stage Fright."
How to Practice 'Belly Breathing'
To speak at your best, get in the habit of “belly breathing.” That means breathing with the help of your diaphragm (the dome-shaped muscle between your lungs and your abdomen). We tend to use just the upper part of our lungs. Belly breathing, on the other hand, is the way your body wants to breathe. It allows the diaphragm to get out of the way so your lungs can expand fully.
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Here’s how to belly breathe, in three easy steps: (1) Place your hand on your belly. That’s your diaphragmatic area. (2) Take relaxed, deep breaths. (3) Concentrate on the movement that's taking place there. Your belly should come out when you inhale, and go back in when you exhale. And that's it!
You can practice by standing in front of a mirror and watching your breathing action. (Your belly should be moving rather than your shoulders or chest.) Now, you're getting a good supply of nourishing oxygen. This will put you in a calming and centered frame of mind. Here's one of my free resources that will also help: "10 Ways To Stay Fully Focused When Speaking." You'll be calmer, more focused, and more in touch with the breathing that's allowing you to speak!
This blog was previously published in this space. It is updated here.
Gary Genard is an actor, author, and expert in public speaking and overcoming speaking fear. His company, The Genard Method offers live 1:1 Zoom executive coaching and corporate group training worldwide. He was named for nine consecutive years as One of the World’s Top 30 Communication Professionals, and also named as One of America's Top 5 Speech Coaches. He is the author of the Amazon Best-Seller How to Give a Speech. His second book, Fearless Speaking, was named in 2019 as "One of the 100 Best Confidence Books of All Time." His handbook for presenting in videoconferences, Speaking Virtually offers strategies and tools for developing virtual presence in online meetings. His latest book is Speak for Leadership: An Executive Speech Coach's Secrets for Developing Leadership Presence. Contact Gary here.
Main photo credit: Eli DeFaria on unsplash.com
