Much of what I have to say about overcoming fear — my own and that of my public speaking clients — is boiled down to this one word: Breathe!

Of course, having the word engraved on my wrist (yes, that’s my wrist in the photo) is another story — a short-short story that accompanies my novel, The Tattooed Heart.

But “BREATHE” isn’t just a fashion statement. It’s the key to unlocking your public speaking power…  to making yourself heard…  and to managing whatever level of fear or self-doubt you may sometimes experience.

(Because almost everyone  feels some level of public speaking fear or self-doubt some of the time, no matter how experienced or skillful a speaker they are! You knew that, right?)

You Know How to Breathe, But You Can Learn How to BREATHE. Here’s How!

The best way to get familiar with your breathing is to notice it, and this exercise will help:

• First, take a few seconds (perhaps the same 15 seconds that I’ve suggested you use to practice Instant Speeches and being your Avatar!) and observe how you breathe — how air comes in and out of your body. Is your breathing shallow? Is it deep? Are there places that feel tense and painful when you try to fill your body with air?

• Now try to breathe OUT before you breathe in.

• As you breathe out, take a second to settle yourself and clear some tension from your mind and body.

That wasn’t hard, was it?

The More You BREATHE, the More Benefit You’ll Get

To get the benefits of deeper breathing, you don’t have to study for hours a day or become a yogi or an opera singer.

Just do this exercise when you think of it, and you’ll gradually get comfortable using your breath to help relax yourself.

Pretty soon you’ll find yourself breathing more deeply, getting more air, and feeling a little more relaxed even when you’re not trying to.

And you’ll know how to calm yourself if and when fear of public speaking strikes!