Breathe
When I was about six years old, I was finishing up football practice with some conditioning, running a couple laps around the field. On the last lap, I remember stopping to try and catch my breath and then the next thing I know I’m laying down on my back, and my dad is standing over me asking if I was okay. My dad said that he saw me stop, put my hands on my knees, and then just fall over. What a sight that must have been. There are a couple of possibilities as to why I passed out but my guess is that I didn’t know how to breath in order to keep my body running. This is an extreme example of why breathing is so important to bodily function, but I often remind myself of this memory when I feel like I can’t catch my breath while battling the stresses of everyday life.
I could give you a bunch of data on why breathing is so important, and how much of a positive effect it has on your nervous system, headspace, and overall health, but you already know all that. I am here to tell you that training yourself to breath when life seems to be too much to bear is one of the easiest and healthiest habits to develop. I started to realize the value of the breath while using Headspace’s Guide to Meditation on Netflix. I became aware of how much tension I build up throughout the day, and how much breathing could melt that tension away.
If you have struggled with meditation in the past, another easy way to practice breathing is taking 2 minutes out of your day to lay down, or be in a position that is easiest to breath, and take 10 deep breaths, inhaling as slow and controlled as you can, holding that breath for a couple seconds, and slowly exhaling. If this breathing pattern isn’t comfortable, then experiment a little, and find out what breathing pattern melts that tension away. Another tip that helps my body relax is focusing on melting tension in my neck and behind my ears. Yes, I said behind the ears. If you watch dogs, or a majority of animals, their ears perk up when they are on high alert. Well, in my experience, when I am feeling overwhelmed, I can feel tension behind my ears, like the nerves and muscle tissue behind my ears are working their ass off. While you are practicing deep breathing, I want you to imagine your ears dropping down, just like a dogs would when they realize there is no threat.
Last but not least, be aware of how you feel after you take time to do some deep breathing. I can almost guarantee that you will feel less tension in your body, specifically your head and neck area, leading to a feeling of greater capability. Your body will revert to habits that relieve tension when you are stressed, let that habit be breathing. The only way breathing becomes second nature for lifting stress is through practice. The good news is it only takes 2 minutes to practice. You got this.
With Love
Luke
