Smile,
Breathe,
And go slowly.
These are the wise words shared by well-known Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh.
His words serve as a gentle reminder to count your blessings,
Breathe mindfully,
And slow down.
Let's take a moment to break each one down.
Smile When's the last time you smiled?
Seriously,
When's the last time?
Please take a moment to smile now,
Whether it's to yourself or at someone.
If you are smiling at someone,
You may notice how contagious smiling is.
Notice how your facial muscles feel when you smile.
Notice how your body feels.
Perhaps less tense,
Lighter,
Or just different than when you're not smiling.
Never discount the power of a smile.
Breathe Always come back to the breath.
We take between 25,
000 to 30,
000 breaths per day.
Might as well make them mindful breaths.
When you take a moment to notice your breathing,
You also change your way of thinking,
Also known as neuroplasticity.
Breathing awareness is an accessible tool for mindfulness for many.
The optimal breath is through the nose,
Activating the belly,
And silent.
If you struggle with anxiety or being in a heightened state all the time,
I recommend you lengthen your exhales twice as long as your inhales.
Never discount the power of the breath.
Go slowly.
We live in modern times where we hustle from one activity to another without taking time to be mindful of just what exactly we're doing.
In other words,
The conveniences of modern times have allowed us to live this zombie-like routine where we just go through the motions.
I cannot emphasize this enough.
Less is more.
Less is more.
Especially if you are a caregiver,
It is so important to refill your cup.
When's the last time you ate a meal without looking at your phone or having the TV on in the background?
When's the last time you went outside for a walk?
When's the last time you drank some water?
When's the last time you praised yourself?
Speaking of self-care,
Go ahead and give yourself some shoulder rolls,
Three to five,
In each direction,
Nice and slow,
No rush.
Never discount the power of going slowly.
My dear friends,
Today,
I encourage you to smile more,
Breathe mindfully,
And slow down.
Namaste.
