The overlooked key to amplifying your presence at work: your throat.
“Why don’t we start with 3 rounds of lion’s breath? I want to hear you make a loud noise each time you exhale.”
I smile, close my eyes and get into position. “I can do this,” I think as I laugh uncomfortably.
“But, I don’t want to do it while facing you on the screen,” I tell her.
Looking away from my laptop, I reluctantly do my 3 rounds – quickly. And with my best brave face, look back at Jen.
Jen is Jen Peterson. She has been studying and practicing yoga and meditation for 12+ years and is someone I’ve always looked up to for her strength and grace. And I must not be the only one! You can find her at yogagracevt.com and @yogagracevt on Instagram. Working with Jen on slowing down has been one of the best investments I’ve made.
We’re working virtually today and she’s incorporated throat and heart openers as part of our yin practice.
The throat has become particularly interesting to me ever since I began coaching the concept of self-promotion. Often when I ask someone to share something remarkable about themselves or something they’re proud of or good at, I watch their hand travel to their neck.
When I point it out to them, they say they’re not aware they’re doing it. And to be clear, I’m no different.
Our innate instinct is to protect this area. One of my all-time favorite comedians, Pete Holmes, has an amazing 2 minute bit about this.
The Throat and Your Truth
From a yogic perspective, our throat chakra (Vishuddha Chakra) is all about expressing and giving voice to your truth. It’s about taking up space. It’s about showing up. It’s about taking risks. When your throat chakra is underactive or deficient, you feel at a loss for words, stuck, and inward. When it’s overactive or excessive, you can be reactive, over-opinionated, and outwardly stubborn.
Ever felt any of those things?
The Throat and Vulnerability
Whether you believe in chakras or not, you’ve probably heard the phrase “stick your neck out,” often used to express the negative side of vulnerability. I won’t even get started on vampires. And there are endless articles about exposing the neck as a signal of courtship. Jen reminded me of the iconic head tilt pose, meant to give an appealing and helpless look – like “come and get me” and “I’m intrigued.”
There is also research about the comfort it gives us to touch our necks – whether that’s giving ourselves a neck massage, adjusting our scarves and ties (hi Rodney Dangerfield), or playing with our hair or necklaces.
Your body language is telling a story without you even knowing it.
Let’s get back to self-promotion and why noticing when you’re touching your throat is important about how you’re perceived. Your body language is telling a story without you even knowing it. When you’re comfortable, your shoulders are back, your neck is long, and your hands are nowhere near your neck and face. If you’re in an interview or chatting with someone at a networking event and your shoulders are riding up around our ears, you’re essentially telling people “I don’t feel like I belong here.”
Yeah, not the vibe you’re going for, especially with trying to act confident.
Which takes me back to the amazing Jen. She took me through a sequence of active and inactive yin poses, incorporating gentle neck releases, supported fish, sphinx, and legs up the wall. Because it’s yin, I held each pose for 3 minutes.
She taught me the mantra “Ham” which sounds like “hhhhhaaaaaammmmmm” creating a healing vibration in the throat.
Near the end of practice, we returned to my old friend, lion’s breath. And something really interesting happened. I was able to look right at Jen and go for it! I took up space in an entirely new way.
This stuff works.
How to add throat openers into your self-promotion practice.
I asked Jen to share a short sequence for you.
I promise you it’s worth the time. Even more than practicing your answers to those interview questions. Yup, I said it.
I know for many of us high performers out there, slowing down is super challenging. How do we check “chilling out” off our lists? What do we have to show for “being”?
And to me, that is the same question as “Why is it important to you to show up for yourself?”
The answer might not come right away, and that’s okay. Remain there.
Once you know, you can move to:
How am I showing up for myself?
Am I hiding or could I take it further?
Asking yourself doesn’t mean you have to change. You get to stay with the question – why do you think you’re asking it to begin with?
Self-promotion is about sharing your creativity, truth, and gifts. You’re well worth being seen.
Where to find Jen Peterson.
I encourage you to follow Jen at @yogagracevt or reach out on her website to see how you can work together. She’s been an invaluable resource to me.
