The breath is a reminder to ground ourselves before continuing to speak. In the breath, we ask important questions to spark new ideas:
- What do I really wanna say here?
- What’s important about what I’m saying?
- How can I go even deeper?
Our breath serves as a checkpoint. A rest stop. A place to pull over and ask for directions.
The breath settles our mental snow globe.
Breathing gives us a chance to connect with the landscape beyond the snow. The longer we pause, the clearer the image becomes.
Despite these discoveries, many people find the breath uncomfortable. Or unfamiliar. Or simply difficult to do in the moment.
That’s OK. It takes time for a behavior to become a habit. What’s key is awareness. Awareness that the breath is available to you at any moment. Rambling, stumbling, and blanking are all reminders to breathe.
When you breathe, your listeners relax.
People feel better when you breathe. You show them there’s no hurry. They see that you’re in control. They get to sit back and enjoy the extra time to digest the moment. They appreciate you putting care into what you want to say next. They respond by listening with care.
Breathing is fundamental to speaking.
Breathing relaxes us. It grounds us. It gives us space to respond instead of react. And in that space, we discover a new dimension to our speaking.
This week, breathe deeply and breathe often. Don’t wait for a timer. Explore the silence. Connect with your core and discover what lies beyond.
