How a Podcast and an Ancient Practice Helped Me Get Paid More
- Brainz Magazine
- May 4
- 7 min read
Written by Ellie Smith, Yoga Instructor
Ellie Smith is an experienced yoga and breathwork teacher, with a background in academia, teaching communication and cultural studies. She is the founder of Ellie Smith Yoga Ltd, a platform for new and returning professionals to learn how to apply practices from yoga to improve their public speaking presence.
Last week, I was called into a meeting with my superiors to discuss the terms of my contract. Some aspects of my working conditions had changed, for the better, and it appeared they wanted to explain this so I was clear on their expectations.
Yet, some of their promises had not been communicated to HR, meaning they were not being reflected in my paycheck. This was something I wanted to explain to them. And I had nightmares about how I was going to do that.
Now, my superiors are lovely people (in fact, so are the HR team, for that matter). But, perhaps as a result of being a recovering people-pleaser, British, and also younger than them (which is relevant in the culture I currently live in, not just me being cheeky), I was sweating bullets at the thought of having to advocate for myself and ask why my paycheck was lower than expected.
By some stroke of cosmic luck, a famous podcast I listen to avidly released an episode all about body language. I had to listen twice – once just to absorb everything, twice to sit down and take notes.
Three days later, I walked away from that meeting having spoken up for myself without losing my cool, and while maintaining the utmost respect for my superiors. And with a chunk of money headed my way. Better yet, not one ounce of sweat was visible.
Read on to find out how I left high and dry in the best sense of the phrase, and how I blended that podcast episode with some ancient, time-tested wisdom from a surprising source.
Understanding body language: From fear to confidence
Nonverbal communication holds the power to shape perceptions dramatically. My stance, gestures, and facial expressions serve as a direct window into my state of mind, often more eloquently than words ever could.
And if you know me, you know that my face does what it wants. It’s the subtitles to my unspoken thoughts. It betrays me daily. Less a face that launched a thousand ships and more a face that made them instantly regret leaving port.
When we are in front of an audience, no matter how big or small, these elements can engage and captivate, making people infinitely more receptive to my message.
Conversely, signs of anxiety, such as an averted gaze or fidgeting, can diminish my credibility and weaken the connection with my listeners.
It's crucial, then, for me to master my body language, harnessing it to reinforce my words and project a persona of assurance and reliability. You know – be the person people want to give more money to.
Key takeaways:
Nonverbal signals profoundly impact audience perception.
Confident body language enhances speaker credibility.
Anxious behaviors can undermine the intended message.
Our nervous system, responsible for all that, can be regulated with a few simple, time-tested techniques
Yoga: The path to poise and presence
Yes, you read that right. Yoga.
It’s all well and good practicing fake confidence, rehearsing your carefully curated thoughts in the mirror so that your face sees how it should behave in that Very Important Meeting, trying on different ways to sit to portray a reassuring, trustworthy presence.
But, if your nervous system is skyrocketing past “rest-and-digest” and into the stratosphere where anxiety, nervousness, frustration, and even panic reside, then all that hard work goes right out the window.
Yoga asanas (poses), breathwork, and meditation can significantly alter our presence before an audience. These ancient practices decrease the physical symptoms of nervousness. By practicing a simple routine regularly, I've noticed a tangible improvement in my ability to maintain a relaxed posture and embody a sense of professionalism.
Certain poses, such as Mountain Pose and Warrior II, have particularly improved my posture and presence during public speaking engagements, including the less obvious ones like politely asking your boss, “Where is my money?” in a way that still keeps you employed.
Breathwork techniques have allowed me to manage my breathing, calming my nerves before I raise my voice to say, “I love that you said you’d pay me more, but have you told HR that?”
Meditation has sharpened my focus, helping me deliver speeches with clarity and conviction. Not my usual over-stimulated, rabbit-in-headlights, convoluted waffle.
Yoga: Aligning your body for confidence
Specific yoga poses can transform the way you carry yourself, resulting in a more relaxed yet confident posture. Mountain Pose is one of those poses.
Sadly, it’s often overlooked in most yoga classes – it’s not given the time it deserves. There are many reasons for this:
It isn’t very exciting. You’re literally just standing there, breathing.
When done correctly, it can quickly get overwhelming, leading to feelings of frustration. The very thing we are trying to avoid.
It’s often used as a place-holder – something we do in between the more fancy poses. So we tend to ignore the nuances this pose requires.
However, when Mountain Pose gets a little spotlight, we can see quickly the numerous benefits it offers, particularly in developing quiet confidence both on and off the mat. For example:
The contradictory movement (pushing down through the legs and lifting through the crown of the head) helps increase a sense of grounding and taking up space.
The way we hold tensions in some areas and relax in others works to improve our physical posture over time. We engage the belly, activating muscles from the feet up to the thighs, while relaxing the shoulders and releasing tension in the face. This is a lot harder than it sounds.
It is where we develop breath awareness. It’s a pose where we can focus on lengthening our inhales and exhales, stimulating our parasympathetic nervous system – the part of us responsible for nicely asking for more money, not in a demanding, ungrateful tone.
Practicing poses like Mountain Pose not only helps shed the physical manifestations of nervous energy but also significantly enhances your ability to communicate effectively. By engaging in asanas that open the chest and align the spine, you’ll help reduce the tension that typically clouds your presence, which in turn influences the clarity and confidence with which you speak.
Indeed, this alignment between body and mind is fundamental in mastering the art of public speaking, allowing you to stand before an audience not just with poise but with genuine confidence.
Meditation and silence: Cultivating inner confidence
It is well-documented that meditation can serve to reduce anxiety and boost mental clarity. However, silence, too, plays a pivotal role. It encourages introspection and fosters a profound inner peace.
Opting for a silent meditation, rather than a guided one, can further cultivate calmness and clarity, forming a robust foundation for any seemingly terrifying public speaking endeavor.
Why? The silence we experience gives us a chance to notice the sheer level of mental clutter we have and to train our mind not to follow every thought that pops up, but instead to return to the breath.
With consistent practice, you’ll notice how much easier it is to bring your awareness away from those “What ifs” and back to the here and now. Those pesky thoughts will slowly get quieter. That mental space makes room for your ideas, your “aha” moments to shine through.
How do you do it, you ask? Simply sit somewhere comfy, and take a few deep breaths in and out through the nose. Then, with each breath, ask yourself the following questions:
Where do I feel the breath as I breathe in?
Where do I feel it as I breathe out?
How do I feel?
Try not to change anything about the breath or the way you feel – just observe. And when your mind skips off somewhere other than here, return to these questions. Rinse and repeat for as long as you feel comfortable.
You’ll see that you’re no longer scampering after the anxieties of the future, but instead are settling, relaxing, and becoming a little more quietly confident. A feeling that will extend beyond the allotted time for meditation, and might even follow you into the boardroom.
And once you are in the boardroom, you’ll see how a meditation practice can impact your delivery of a difficult message. Those dreaded “ums” and “ahs” that once peppered your sentences are now replaced with something you’ve become comfortable with – silence, which you now use for emphasis, not hesitation. Not only does this newfound pause allow for your audience to absorb your message, it allows you space to carefully choose your wors, ensuring clarity and impact.
Before you sign the contract
Mastering public speaking isn’t just about the words we say – it's about how we present ourselves, both physically and mentally. Thanks to a little podcast wisdom and a lot of yoga practice, I was able to control my body language and calm my nerves before a high-stakes conversation, which is just as important as having the right things to say.
With techniques like Mountain Pose and deep breathing, I was able to advocate for myself in the workplace. So, the next time you’re sweating over a tough conversation, remember: You’ve got this – just stand tall, breathe deeply, and let your inner warrior shine. Also, go listen to that podcast episode I mentioned at the beginning of this article.
If this piqued even a modicum of curiosity toward getting started with yoga, then I urge you to try out my latest workshop all about laying the right foundations for a safe and sustainable lifelong practice. In it, we go deep into ten fundamental poses, learning how to adapt them to suit you, and how to breathe in a way that will have you feeling quietly confident and in control on and off the mat.
Read more from Ellie Smith
Ellie Smith, Yoga Instructor
Ellie Smith is yoga and breathwork teacher based in rural Japan. Her background is in tertiary education with a focus on communication and cultural studies. She now blends these two professions in her business, teaching clients how to get started with yoga, how to stick with it, and how to apply its principles and techniques off the mat to reduce public speaking anxiety and improve their public speaking presence.
