😬 Ana’s PRO-TIPS: “I Understand English… But I Freeze in Meetings!”

(We’ve all been there! Here’s a QUICK Survival Guide for when your brain goes on vacation without you.)

Many of my clients bring up this topic in their Business English coaching sessions: 

You're in a meeting.

You know what you want to say.

You rehearsed it already.

Then—BOOM—your name is called…

And suddenly?

You're staring into the Zoom void like a deer in headlights.

No thoughts. You draw a blank. Just blinking.

Guess what?

You are not broken. You are fluent, but stressed, and trying to think of how to gracefully enter into the conversation.

What works to bring calm to those moments of nervousness? 

Let’s walk through it together. 

1️⃣ Start small. 

Instead of jumping into a long opinion, just start with:

“Yes! I agree with that point—especially the part about…”

💡 It’s like rolling a ball down a hill. Once it’s moving, your brain starts to catch up. The truth? Everyone uses an opener 😇

2️⃣ Use your secret power: buying time.

Native speakers, we do this all the time.

When our brains need 3 seconds:

1. “That’s a great question...”

2. “Give me a moment to formulate my thoughts so I can address everything properly…” Then take a breath or two. You don’t have to worry about performing, you’re just having a conversation 🙂

3. “So, from my perspective…”

🥸 It’s good to give yourself the same grace that you give others.

3️⃣ Have a go-to phrase in your back pocket.

Think of it as your meeting safety net.

Try:

1. “From a practical point of view, I’d say…”

2. “To confirm your findings, I have some data that supports your angle…”

3. “One thing you said that really struck me was…”

These openers help make you embrace your confidence—even when your inner monologue is just screaming in Portuguese or Mandarin or French or “help.”

💡 Truth time:

Freezing doesn’t mean you don’t know English.

• It means your brain is buffering under pressure.

So take a deep breath.

• Smile like you’re on camera (you probably are).

• And say one sentence.

Then another.

You’ve got this. 🎤✨

☕ Got a favorite go-to phrase?

Please help others who have the same experience by dropping your advice in the comments. What has worked for you in the past? We’d love to hear from you! Or find us at AurumBorealis.com for more personalized Business English coaching. 

We believe that your strongest asset is marketing yourself. Sometimes you just need a coach to get you over the finish line.