SPEAKER'S ANXIETY: part two

TAKE A BREATHER

I just adopted two kitties: a black and white tuxedo boy Brandon Poetry and a calico gal Kaycee Prose. 

Their first week here was something: the pussycat wars raged as they vied for territory and as they each sought to be the best bud of Tony.

I noticed a few things: when one cat looked at the other the wrong way, both arched their bodies, as a jolt of nerves took charge.

We are like cats also. We tense, and our throats clench when we feel threatened. 

One solution: BREATHING.

Breathing deeply (and I mean way into the lungs) when nervous will dissipate some of our cat-like tension, and will free up the throat.

Doing breathing exercises before speaking helps also. Try a few long yawns (not in front of the audience of course, but before you enter the space.) Take a few deep breaths while raising your arms in any direction, letting them drop on the exhalations.

Doing alternate nostril breathing really helps. I picked this up in an acting class. 

Place your forefinger on your temple, and hold your right nostril shut with your right thumb.

Breathe in with your left nostril.

Close your left nostril with your middle finger.

Breathe out with your right nostril.

Repeat.

Then reverse the process.

Place your forefinger on your temple, and hold your left nostril shut with your middle finger.

Breathe in with your right nostril.

Close your right nostril with your middle finger.

Breathe out with your left nostril.

repeat.

Then breathe in with both nostrils, counting to five.

Then breathe out with both nostrils, counting to five.

This works.

But be careful.

You can get a little lightheaded at first, so practice it a number of times well ahead of your performance.

But it does ease the tension.

I can tell that my cats have chilled some.

I can hear their purrs--which means they are relaxed and BREATHING easy.