Grounding

Finding Confidence in Your Body

There are two physical skills that are most crucial to effective public speaking: grounding and breathing. They’re the first two things I look for, whenever I evaluate a speaker. If he doesn’t have his feet on the ground, or if she isn’t breathing, everything else suffers.

Gerda Alexander, a 20th century bodywork practitioner, once said, “Security is greatly connected to feeling your bone structure.” That might sound strange, but think about it this way. By feeling your capacity to support yourself at a physical level, you sense your potential to “support” yourself at other levels: mentally, emotionally, socially, and even professionally. Confidence is not an abstract "something" we have no way of grasping. Confidence, as a feeling, already exists in your body.

This explains why people feel stronger and more confident, just by feeling their feet on the ground. It's a simple strategy yielding significant benefits. A client once told me, "I had a difficult conversation with my boss last week, so I made sure I could feel both feet on the ground, and I was surprised how strong I felt in that interaction." Being grounded connects you to your surroundings, keeps you present, and that increases confidence.

Recommended Video

Grounding Exercise

In less than 3 minutes, Julian Walker demonstrates a simple exercise to help you become aware of your body and connected to the ground beneath you. You could probably do this exercise even when you’re around other people.

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Your Confident Voice

This easy step-by-step program contains the training you need to cultivate a relaxed, grounded state of being, in any situation, even when you’re under pressure.

Tip

Unlock your knees. Many people push their knees all the way back and grip them, without even knowing it. As a result, their entire body is rigid and cut off from the ground. If you can let go of your knees, your body will relax and settle, you’ll breathe deeply, your voice will be stronger and you’ll speak with your whole being.