In Part 1 ofEstablishing Composure in Public Speaking, I discussed the value of approaching the lectern with confidence and acknowledging your audience before opening your mouth to speak.
What I haven’t mentioned, however, is what I believe to be the most important thing you should do before you even begin your walk to the lectern.
And, that is simply to breathe. Oddly enough, it is the one thing we never think to do in public speaking and yet it is the one thing we never have enough of in public speaking! Breath. Air. Oxygen. It is a necessity! It is vital!
The first thing I teach in working with my clients is diaphragmatic breathing, the normal, natural means of supported breathing that the majority of the population is unaware of. All mammals do it; it’s just the most intelligent of the mammals that don’t do it!
We were born breathing properly so it is not as if this is foreign or alien to our body. Sometime during our childhood development, however, we stop this practice and revert to shallow, unsupported breathing. This type of breathing, which is symptomatic of about 99% of the population, is not natural, nor is it normal; and, it is a medical fact that shallow or lazy breathing increases our stress because it does not allow for the elimination of the toxins in our body. Deep supported breathing does. Breathing with the support of the diaphragm is normal and natural.
Therefore, if you truly want to gain composure in public speaking, you must not only breathe, but you must learn to breathe properly. It is absolutely the best means of controlling nervousness in any form of public speaking. In fact, I’ll take that one step further. Breathing with the support of your diaphragm is the best means of controlling the stress in your life. Period! It doesn’t get any better than that. Yes, you can prioritize; and, you can cut down on your workload, but learning to breathe with support is the most important thing you can do because it physically relaxes your body.
Remember those toxins? Supported breathing eliminates them. Shallow breathing increases them. Think about it this way. If you are overwhelmed by stress, your shallow or lazy breathing is increasing that stress. Likewise, if you are nervous in public speaking, your shallow or lazy breathing is increasing your nervousness.
Once you learn to breathe properly and allow that physical process to control your nervousness, you will not have to ‘search’ for composure, you will already have it.
When I started my business in 1989, I joined the local Chamber of Commerce and had to stand and introduce myself to at least 150 people at a new members’ orientation. When it finally dawned on me that this personal introduction was my business, I began to sweat. I experienced nervousness at a level that was incredibly frightening because I realized that if I blew that particular intro I could kiss Voice Dynamic goodbye.
When I rose to speak, I breathed with support and proceeded to sound calm, confident and in control. Bottom line? I had composure. When I finished, a gentleman in the back said, “That’s The Voice Lady!” a name which has labeled me ever since.
Being able to control your nervousness is a wonderful feeling. So instead of looking to that next presentation with dread, why not stand at the lectern and discover what composure can do for you?
