I’ve talked about this before, and I’ll say it again. I’m no stranger to being afraid, or being nervous, or stressed. I’m no stranger to being seized by a sensation of complete helplessness and inability to act. I think the most important thing to do in that moment of fear, or anxiety, or terror, is to breathe.

If you’ve ever taken a yoga class, or heard anything about meditation, you know that breath is essential to bring you into a better headspace and put you in a calmer state of mind.

It’s an automatic response, when faced with stress, to fight, or run away. But, you can’t really run away from a presentation in your class. As much as I would like to, I can’t. Whether you like it or not, you usually end up facing this stressor head-on — which is also terrifying.

But, what I do before a nervous experience, or when I feel the stress creeping up, is sit back and take a deep breath. Well, not one. I take three long, slow deep breaths. The full body sort of breath that a yoga instructor would be proud of.

By the time I finish those breaths, which takes only 10 or 15 seconds, I feel some of the panic recede. By then I’ve gained a sort of second wind, or enough confidence to face a situation head-on.

Let me give an example. I’m not the best with meeting new people. I tend to get very nervous and tell stories that really require context that I don’t always give. It’s a bad habit.

But, let’s say, as I'm walking to a small get together at a friend’s apartment, I can feel the tightness in my stomach and the clenching in my jaw that preludes any sort of stress associated with situations like this. We all have triggers that we automatically associate with our nerves, or fears.

When I feel that tightness, I pause for a moment — not literally, I don’t stop walking in the middle of the street, but I do take three deep breaths. In those 20 seconds, I may not have completely rid myself of the anxiety, but it is a bit better. My stomach isn’t as tight; my jaw has slackened a little.

So, by the time I get to this hypothetical social situation, I am a lot better off than I was to begin with.

I’m not saying this is a foolproof plan to get rid of all your anxieties forever, no effort required. Nothing like that. But, I have learned through the various and sporadic yoga classes I've taken that breath is king.

In the Bikram studio, I often heard the phrase, “If you control your breath, you control your life.” While I don’t know if I can control my whole life, I can certainly take back some control that my fears or anxieties take away from me.

So, when in doubt, take three deep breaths. It can't really hurt to give it a shot.

Now go out and conquer, I believe in you.