Everyone deserves to feel proud of her accomplishments. Align your body, voice and energy to communicate, “I am”! Here are tips to help you.
A – Arrive
Make your presence felt. Truly arrive in a space by pausing, feeling your feet on the floor, taking a full breath and really exhaling, and feeling the length of your spine. This says, “I am here.” (If you tend to over-do, dial back; if you tend to back-off, dial it up.)
E- Energy
Having positive energy is key to communicating effectively and leaving a lasting impression. We may feel fear and anxiety when communicating about ourselves. Feel your power, draw on internal strength, and use your whole body. When there is more energy circulating inside, more is felt outside.
Remember your energy is infectious. (In fact, positive energy is what employers notice most in interviews!). Remember that you are communicating to an audience. Envision the person you’re talking to. Use gestures like reaching out your arms or extending a hand to connect. Make eye contact.
I – I AM
Have an intention for your communication. It could be a quality you want to convey, what you want someone to remember about you, or a point of view. Learn to Bottom line. What is the one thing I want to communicate?
Communication is a verb. Use the active voice and draw from “I am”. (You may want to test out the passive and the quiet so you can feel the contrast to build up your loud, proud and active voice.)
Take on the posture of “I am” and the words of I am.
O- Out loud (and Proud)
Get out loud and communicate what you’re proud of! Before you communicate, take a moment to remember what you are proud of (an accomplishment, a skill, etc). Draw from that knowing, confident place.
U –Urgency
Know that what you are communicating matters. Feel the energy of that “urgency.” It’s imperative that others know your value. No one else will be able to speak about you the way that you can.