Cool, Calm and Connected

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12 Minute Relaxation Exercises

Use these two simple and effective relaxation exercises to help you:
•    Manage nerves when you are about to speak or present.
•    As a way of “completing” or “welcoming” the day.
•    Get “out of your head and into your body”.
•    Ground and centre yourself in your purpose.
•    Think and articulate clearly with a coherent flow.
•    Gain a simple insight barometer of your current stress level.
•    Prepare yourself to be focussed and connected for any public speaking moments.

6 minute exercise to restore calm & clarity


Hello, welcome to Cool, Calm & Connected. My name is Geraldine Barkworth and I’m going to talk you through, two simple and effective relaxation exercises to help you slow down, calm and refocus, every time you need to present yourself publicly. The entire recording plays for about twelve minutes. I recommend you read through these notes first before listening to the recording.

The first exercise is called Inner Calm and it will take 6 minutes for us to complete together using this recording. I recommend you practise it everyday to make it a habit.

The second optional exercise is called Balanced Breath and it will take 3 minutes for us to complete together using this recording. I recommend you use it whenever you feel very stressed, and then follow it by the Inner Calm exercise if you wish.

Let’s start with creating some inner calm…

Sit back in your chair, close your eyes, let your body sink down, rest your hands in your lap and put your feet on the floor. Take a slow, deep breath right to the base of your stomach. Release gently.
Notice how your body feels right now, the pace of your breath, your pulse, and the kinds of thoughts you are having. Take another deep, natural breath and release it slowly on the out breath. Feel your body sink deeper into the chair, knowing that it supports you. Know that there is nothing else you need to do right now and nowhere else you have to go.

Now we will begin the exercise by counting the breath. Follow silently along with me. When you do these exercises without this recording, do them silently and at your own breathing pace.

Mindfully breathing in, one	Mindfully breathing out, one.
Mindfully breathing in, two,	Mindfully breathing out, two.
Mindfully breathing in, three,	Mindfully breathing out, three.
Mindfully breathing in, four,	Mindfully breathing out, four.
Mindfully breathing in, five,	Mindfully breathing out, five.
Mindfully breathing in, six,	Mindfully breathing out, six.
Mindfully breathing in, seven,	Mindfully breathing out, seven.
Mindfully breathing in, eight,	Mindfully breathing out, eight.
Mindfully breathing in, nine,	Mindfully breathing out, nine.
Mindfully breathing in, ten,	Mindfully breathing out, ten.

    
 
 Take a slow, deep natural breath to acknowledge
 you have completed “one round.”

Repeat for a second time.
Repeat for a third time.


When you have finished three rounds, take a slow deep breath to complete the Inner Calm exercise and become aware of your body sitting in the chair. Notice how your body feels right now, the pace of your breath, your pulse, and the kinds of thoughts you are having. Notice any changes.

Bring your awareness to the present moment, take a breath, open your eyes, stretch your body, and know you can carry inner calm wherever you go.



(While you are doing this exercise without this recording, you may find your mind wanders. This is perfectly normal. Don’t make a guess and start at “five” to get through the exercise faster! Just gently bring your mind back to “one” and begin again. The more your mind wanders, the more scattered you are feeling. The more you are able to count your breaths from one to ten in a complete round, the more inner calm you are feeling.

Please know, you cannot fail this exercise. You can only learn more about yourself and your current state of calm. If you cannot make it all the way from “mindfully breathing in and out from one to ten” on some days, try practising the Balanced Breath exercise which follows.)


3 minute exercise to help relieve more extreme feelings of stress


The Balanced Breath exercise is shorter than the Inner Calm exercise and can help relieve more extreme feelings of stress whenever you need to present yourself in public.

Silently, start to count the breath in for 3 counts:    in, two, three,
And count the breaths out for 3 counts:            out, two, three.

I’ll do ten “rounds” with you to help you find the rhythm…
Some people find it helpful to count off each set of “in and out” breaths on their fingers so they can keep track. Once you feel steadier, you may wish to proceed to the Inner Calm exercise. Finish gently whenever you feel ready.

Found this recording useful? Contact Geraldine to discuss the next step to communicating with ease and authenticity.

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