Deep breathing is one of the best ways to decrease stress. When you breathe deeply your brain receives a signal to relax and then passes it onto the body. A few deep breaths can make a tremendous difference when dealing with difficult situations.
1) While holding plank
for what feels like eons, your arms are shaking, you’re red in the face and want nothing more than to drop like a fly – breathe, reaffirm to yourself you can do it and hang in there. It will soon be over.
2) During a difficult conversation
with someone, when you feel more like having a breakdown than listening to what they have to say, breathe. Take deep breaths while counting to ten and then re-evaluate the situation. If that doesn’t work take a time out – they’re not just for kids. It is okay to say “I’m not ready to talk about this right now”. It is often better to step away than say something you don’t really mean and may regret. Take a break, clear your head and revisit the conversation when you are ready to communicate calmly.
3) When jumping to conclusions
breathe. When we don’t breath we aren’t thinking clearly and our minds go into panic mode. A wandering mind under stress can lead us to some pretty crazy conclusions. Try to be reasonable. Usually when someone isn’t calling you back or isn’t home when they said they would be, they probably forgot or got tied up. Life happens, we have to be able to roll with the punches.
4) When writing a test
and you know the answers but you’re totally blanking, breathe. There’s nothing more frustrating than handing in a test sheet with blank spaces only to remember the answers as soon as you walk out the door. Try not to stress out when you can’t immediately remember something. Reflect back to when you may have read about that topic before. If that doesn’t work, move on and trust that it will eventually come to you.
5) During a job interview
breathe. If you are super nervous and asked an unexpected question, take a long deep breath and think back to your preparations. If you are unprepared, calmly repeat the question in your head and think how best to answer. Better to sit quiet in thought for a moment than to say something rushed and irrelevant. Breathe, focus and try to remain collected. Answer everything you are asked, even if it means taking a minute to think about it.
6) When running late
don’t panic just breathe. Panicking never helps anybody. Even though you feel like you have no time, take a minute to go over in your mind exactly what you need to do and then pack accordingly. This may help to avoid running back and forth from the laundry room five times only to leave for yoga with your new Lululemons on inside out.
7) When practising yoga
breathe! This may seem obvious but have you ever got a breathing cue from your instructor only to realize that you actually aren’t breathing! I definitely have, especially when things get challenging physically. Incidentally these are the most important times to turn inward and focus on the breath.
Whatever your situation might be – Relax, smile and breathe. Namaste.
Leave A Comment