First, see how your breath is feeling today by performing a gentle hiss sound, holding it as long as is comfortable. See if you feel any contractions in any part of your body at the end of the hiss. Then, slowly move each limb for 30 seconds, one at a time, in a circular manner, outlining a circle with each foot on the floor and a shoulder circle with each arm. Hiss again. Does it feel different? The goal is to retrain yourself to exhale longer, since in nature this is what we do in the absence of danger (whereas a short, pulled inhale is a fight-or-flight response to perceived danger).
If you think of breathing as inhaling followed by exhaling, you add superfluous air to the lungs. Instead, it’s more useful to think of the breathing cycle as an exhale that is followed naturally by an inhale.
To practice this, place your hand in front of your open mouth and blow on your hand, as if fogging a mirror. Feel a gentle heat on your hand and maintain this throughout your unforced exhale, letting it seamlessly diminish toward the end. Then, inhale silently through your nose.
The gentle heat on your hand has a beginning and an end. Feeling it begin signals that you have started your exhale, through which you can talk. Start speaking at the exact moment that the air is flowing out of you. Practice alternating the heat on your hand and starting a humming “v” sound at the same moment. Then, when speaking, keep the same sensation timing-wise. You will quickly notice that starting the sound exactly when the air flows is easier.
These are key in communicating messages. Using your voice well includes warming it up to enable flexible qualities of loudness, “color” (variations in tone and emotion), and timbre.
Building on the previous exercise, sustain the “v” sound and vary your loudness and pitch. For loudness, press your lower lip against your upper teeth for a louder sound. For pitch variation, start at a comfortable range and gradually glide up and down, without blowing more air. Then count from one to five and listen to the color of your voice. Count again, but this time play with different emotional mindsets while counting (amused, sad, neutral, stressed, happy, etc.) and record your speech to see how your voice color changes with the different mindsets.
The way you communicate is influenced by your thoughts, values, and beliefs. To harness this connection, write a phrase that you might have to say in a public setting and record yourself saying it neutrally. Then start imagining who you will be talking to, what they will think about your presentation, and what you wish to convey to them. Now record yourself saying the same words again and see if it makes a difference.
Through conscious practice of breath coordination and vocal techniques, you can develop a more commanding, authentic, and engaging presence that will resonate deeply with your audience.
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