Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 1 second, breathe out for 8 seconds, hold for 1. And repeat. Feel better?
I find that deep breathing really does relax me when nothing else will. No, I can’t shut off my worries with the snap of a finger, and no, it won’t stop my initial panic when my doorbell unexpectedly rings, or when I feel cornered at a networking event, but when you’re swept up in that intense, negative energy, and you feel the knots in your stomach push up towards your throat, and your head feels as if it’s starting to spin, breathe. Breathe in the calm hope you long for. Breathe out the anxiety. The more you do this, the better. I will add a somewhat obvious detail; make sure to breathe in through your nose and out of your mouth, not into your mouth and out of your mouth. This could actually have the opposite effect than what we’re intending here. Heh.
I realized recently that I can’t fully change my internal tendency. I can’t always control my overthinking. I can’t eliminate the pressure I feel to prepare for everything ahead of time (to avoid last minute stress), but I CAN try to limit the physical side effects that my worry prone mind can, will, and does force upon me. In addition to these helpful breathing patterns, I’ve also been trying to climb up to an even more “zen level”. I’m trying to regularly include mediation. Have you ever tried it? No, you don’t need to go get your yoga pants, dim the lights and put on Enya, (I mean I’m all about that, but it’s not mandatory).
I like to think about fixating on a calming, peaceful energy, maybe visualizing myself walking into a life that isn’t mine, stealing it for 5 minutes (or 10) and taking ownership of this alternate energy. It’s yours. Soak it in. Swim into the deep. Lather it into your soul and drink it down…feel it’s warmth. Rather than fixating on the worry we know is coming, sit down in your favorite spot, close your eyes, and go. Swim into the calm. More often than not, you may just realize that your worry isn’t as worrisome as you initially thought.
When you think of your favorite place, the place that brings you peace, calm serenity, and relaxation, what comes to mind? Find that mental space and let that be your visual mediation zone. Wherever you are, you can close your eyes and be there-just like that! You may feel more centered, you may feel more relaxed, or you may feel like you just wasted 5 minutes, but try it. I have a feeling you’ll walk back into your day with a new perspective and a new calm. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 1, breathe out for 8 seconds, hold for one. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
Header quote credit: Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati