Breathe. Exhale. Repeat.
Mindful breathing is convenient and practical. It brings you back to the present and helps you see the big picture. I know there are days that I find myself feeling overwhelmed, defeated, and loosing sight of what really matters. Focused, mindful breathing helps reduce stress and anxiety; it alters your mental state and balances your emotions (fear, anger, sadness, joy). It decreases hyperactivity in the brain. It provides you with a deeper opportunity to center the mind and allows you to concentrate on the tasks at hand; bringing you to a place of balance and reason. It improves your own sense of well being by bringing a state of calmness. And the best part? You can literally do this anywhere at any time of the day that suits you. You can be at work, sitting in a chair, at home on the couch, or even outside on a bench. Below are a few steps I like to use for my own mindful breathing.
Find Your Connection
- Get comfortable. Maybe for you that’s sitting upright; or maybe you prefer laying down.
- Close your eyes.
- Relax your shoulders, your jaw and that space between your eyes.
- Inhale through the nose, expand the abdomen and chest, lift collarbones
- Exhale out the mouth. pull the belly in in in, relax your shoulders.
- Spend equal time with your inhales and exhales
- Spend about 3-5 minutes connecting here with your breath.
Now this isn’t going to make all your problems magically disappear, but what I can promise you is that you will be able to reel yourself back into the present to see the big picture; and either start working on a solution; or just absorb all the goodness going on around you and recognize that sense of gratefulness.
I’m grateful this technique is a useful tool and resource for myself when my day throws a curve ball at me. Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.