The Power of Breathing

Generating Impact

What is required to communicate with impact? If you want to affect your listeners, you must give your self. Giving your self involves giving your voice. And, at a most basic physical level, giving your voice requires giving away your breath.

Speaking with only a trickle of breath yields only part of your voice, so your listeners get the feeling you’re pulling back and not really committing to your message. Speaking with a generous outflow of breath tends to engage your whole voice. Your listeners feel they’re getting more of you—that you’re confidently standing behind your message.

How can you make sure you’re engaging your breath most effectively?

Optimize your in-breath. The quality of your voice will never exceed the quality of your breath. If your in-breath is small, tense and shallow, your voice will be small, tense and shallow. If your in-breath is deep, full and relaxed, your voice will be deep, full and relaxed. Inhale slowly, through your mouth, and invite the breath to sink as far down into your body as possible. Don’t worry about the pause; it’s never as noticeable as you think.

Recommended Video

Proper Breathing

People make a big deal about breathing in the right place, but that’s putting the cart way before the horse. By mastering more fundamental skills regarding how you breathe and speak, you discover there are many potential places to breathe.

Events

Free SpeechMaster Class

Date and Time: Wednesday, May 8
7:00 – 9 :00 PM
Location: 434 Queen St East, Toronto, ON

Guest Instructor:
Carrol Suzuki, Suzuki & Associates
Topic:3 Essential Listening Skills for Speakers

Tip

Speak with shorter phrases. Making breath last as long as possible creates a lot of tension and discomfort. Practice taking more frequent, relaxed in-breaths, perhaps 3-4 breaths per sentence, depending on the length. Your delivery will be well paced, your listeners will understand and absorb more, and you’ll feel more relaxed, deliberate and in control.