Turn Fear into Excitement with a Single Breath

You’re moments from your first live-stream webinar and feel your heart pounding like a drum in your chest. The fear feels cold and heavy, squeezing your ribs. In this exact moment, you have a choice: fight the panic or transform it.
Sit quietly and place your hand on your heart. Notice the raw sensation of fear—its garlic-sharp tang in your throat and the jitter of your fingers. Breathe in slowly through your nose, imagining you’re breathing in possibility. Feel your belly open, then pause. As you exhale, let go of the tight knot in your chest, as if letting steam escape from a kettle. Whisper to yourself, “I release my resistance to this energy.”
On the next inhale, think, “This is excitement.” Feel the light fizz of anticipation replace the grit of apprehension. Your senses sharpen: you hear the faint rustle of papers, the soft hum of your laptop’s fan. The fear hasn’t vanished; it’s morphed into a focused charge that fuels your confidence. Neuroscience shows that controlled breathing activates your vagus nerve, flipping the switch from fight-or-flight to social engagement mode. You’re ready to begin.

When you feel fear swelling, close your eyes and focus on the raw sensation in your body. Breathe in fully through your nose and hold the breath for a moment. On the exhale, imagine the tightness dissolving and release your resistance silently. Then, as you inhale again, whisper “This is excitement” and welcome the tingling anticipation. Soon you’ll be using that very breath to propel yourself into powerful performance—give it a try before your next big moment.