Our bodies and voices are the vectors for our thoughts and messages. When we talk to other people in person, we use our bodies to do it. And generally, we know exactly what to do without really thinking about it—we angle ourselves toward someone we’re interested in talking to, we make eye contact, we modulate our voice to be sure they can hear us.
All of a sudden, when the stakes are higher, we are aware of our bodies in a different way. What do I do with my hands? Why am I swaying? How do I make eye contact naturally?
The time to pay attention to our bodies and voices is before the high-stakes situation. Start to notice—when do I naturally make eye contact? When I’m unstressed, how do I use my voice? When do I breathe?
The more self-aware we are of our habits, the better control we can have over them when it matters.
