Here’s an obvious one: getting called on in class. As soon as I’m called on, I feel sweaty and I can feel my body tighten up. This tightness let’s me know that I’m about to stutter. I open my mouth to talk, and what comes out is a jumbled mess of incoherent sounds instead of words. Extremely embarrassing. However, I have found something interesting. If I breathe in while pushing my stomach out, and keep it there, when I have to talk, I release it and I’m much calmer. The words come out. I notice I talk more slowly as well, which is a definite plus.