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.
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