CORE SKILLS

As you enter a conversation that could become tense,

breathe deeply

Got something to say? Want to get a fair hearing for it? Then breathe deeply before you start speaking.

 

When we're passionate about an issue, most of us get emotional. That's fine because emotion is part of being human.

 

Problem is, if we get too emotional, our breathing becomes shallow. And that's not fine because then we deprive our brain of the oxygen it needs to think clearly.

 

In which case, we become louder, angrier, and, frankly, annoying. We drive away the very people whose support we're trying to get!

 

Hey, we're all addicted to breathing, right? So let's do it in a way that makes us powerful  — and healing — communicators. Hear more from Irshad Manji in the video above.