Time To Breathe

Sometimes when trying to steady yourself in a stressful situation, it is helpful to concentrate on breathing for a sustained period of time. This is known as mindful breathing. By training yourself to return to the breath over and over again, you create new neurological connections that have been shown to reduce anxiety, help with clearer thinking, reduce reactivity, and increase immunity and resilience.

Transcript

Sit in a comfortable position.

Allow both soles of your feet to connect to the floor.

Rest your hands on your thighs and let your shoulders drop.

Gently close your eyes or look for a reference point somewhere on the floor where you can return your eyes when they get distracted.

Let your spine grow tall and noble,

Like the trunk of a tree.

Take a moment to notice how your body feels.

Bring your attention to the flow of your breath.

You don't need to breathe in any special way.

Your body knows how to breathe.

Simply notice each breath coming into the body with an in-breath and leaving the body with an out-breath.

If you notice your mind is caught up in thoughts,

Emotions,

Or body sensations,

Know that this is normal.

Notice what is distracting you and gently let it go by redirecting your attention back to the flow of your breath.

Notice each breath coming into the body with an in-breath and leaving the body with an out-breath.

When you are ready,

Slowly bring your attention back to your surroundings and let how you feel now guide you.