Calm it through your body: You cannot remove fear by thinking about it. You can calm it through your body. When your breathing slows down, your heart slows down too, and your voice becomes steady.
Breathe in four, hold two: Try this before you speak. Breathe in slowly through your nose for four counts. Hold for two counts. Breathe out slowly through your mouth for six counts. Do this three times.
Stand straight, smile once: Stand straight, shoulders relaxed, feet firm on the ground. Drink a little water. Smile once, even a small smile. Your body tells your mind, "I am safe."
Key Terms
- Slow breathing — breathing in and out slowly to calm the body
- Posture — the way you stand; straight and relaxed, not stiff
Example
A Karachi teacher's slow breaths: A teacher in a school in Karachi feels nervous before the morning assembly. She takes three slow breaths behind the stage. She drinks water. Then she walks up, stands straight, and speaks.
Breathing did the work: Her voice shakes a little in the first line. By the second line, it is steady. The breathing did the work.
Fresh diagram to be drawn: A simple breathing guide — three boxes: "Breathe in, 4 counts → Hold, 2 counts → Breathe out, 6 counts." In Project Desk colours.
- Calm your body first, and your voice will follow.
- Slow breathing — in for 4, hold for 2, out for 6 — repeated three times.
- Stand straight, relax your shoulders, and drink water before you speak.