Breathing: Asking Success and the Air You Breathe

As we've often discussed here, nonprofit fundraising and acting may seem like worlds apart at first glance. However, upon closer examination, they share surprising similarities. Both require compelling storytelling, emotional connection, and powerful presentation skills. One fundamental practice linking the two is the use of breath. For actors, breath control is a cornerstone of their craft; likewise, nonprofit fundraisers can harness the benefits of breath awareness to enhance their effectiveness.

Actors and nonprofit fundraisers both need to convince their audience of a particular narrative or cause. They employ emotive storytelling to elicit a desired response – whether it's applause at the end of a performance or a generous donation to a cause. The methods they use to connect, engage, and persuade are strikingly similar. They must present their message convincingly, manage their stress and emotions, and maintain a strong, positive physical presence. One way they achieve these goals is through the power of controlled, conscious breathing.

Four benefits of using exercises to strengthen breath control.

1. Voice Control: Breathing exercises are instrumental in voice modulation and projection, ensuring clarity and effective communication.
2. Emotion Regulation: With different breathing patterns, one can better control and convey various emotions, enhancing emotional resonance.
3. Stress Management: Breathing exercises also help mitigate stress and anxiety, fostering calmness and focus in high-pressure situations.
4. Physical Presence: Proper breathing increases one's physical vitality and presence, critical for successful face-to-face interactions.

Try this exercise - Diaphragmatic Breathing - to better harness the air you breathe.

1. Sit comfortably with your back straight. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
2. Breathe in slowly through your nose so that your stomach moves out against your hand. The hand on your chest should remain as still as possible.
3. Tighten your stomach muscles, letting them fall inward as you exhale through your mouth with pursed lips. The hand on your chest should remain as still as possible.
4. Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to inhale enough so that your lower abdomen rises and falls. Count slowly as you exhale.
5. Practice for 5-10 minutes initially and gradually increase the duration as you get more comfortable.

Breathing exercises, a critical tool for actors, can be incredibly beneficial to nonprofit fundraisers. By incorporating practices like Diaphragmatic Breathing into their routines, fundraisers can significantly improve their voice control, emotion regulation, stress management, and physical presence. The power of conscious, controlled breathing can help them connect more authentically with their audience - donors and prospects - and convey their message more convincingly, ultimately increasing their fundraising effectiveness.

Just as actors hone their craft, so too should fundraisers refine their skills. Breathing exercises are a powerful method in their toolkit.