Page 61 - How To Sell Yourself

60 How to Sell Yourself
muscle, is the diaphragm. It’s a dome-shaped arch located just under the rib cage, right below the breastbone. The lungs rest on the diaphragm, so when you look for your diaphragm, if you find yourself anywhere near your navel, you’re too far south.
The proper breathing rhythm is for the diaphragm to flatten on inhalation.
On exhalation, the diaphragm returns to its arched position, forcing air out of the lungs by pushing them up.
Place your fingers against your diaphragm. On an inhalation, your fingers should be forced away from your body. On the exha- lation, your fingers should move back toward your body.
Be very conscious of what you’re doing because it’s quite com- mon to do it wrong. At first, it may seem unnatural. We’ve been used to thinking that the “in” in “inhale” means sucking in the gut. The “in” actually means filling the lungs with air, and it can only happen when the diaphragm flattens, moving down and away from the body.
Unlearn bad breathing techniques
Incorrect breathing often comes from military training, exag- gerated posture training, and an involuntary reaction to stress and fear. It goes back to the terrible notion of “take a deep breath.” The command should be “take a diaphragmatic breath.”
Incorrect breathing is one of the leading causes of lack of confidence.
It’s a communication destroyer.
Practice correctly
Check it out. Stand in front of a mirror. Pretend you’ve just heard the magic words, “Take a deep breath.” If you’re pulling your diaphragm in, sucking in the gut, your shoulders will heave upward. The muscles of your head and neck will tighten notice- ably. It’s exactly the opposite of what should be happening.
Your shoulders shouldn’t move on the inhalation. The lungs need room to expand. The motion of the diaphragm should be outward, not upward.
Yawning and sighing are almost perfect examples of deep dia- phragmatic breathing. You’re always breathing correctly lying on your back as you fall asleep.
TEAMFLY