Take a moment.. and breathe.
It’s time to deliver that speech. My heart is pounding, my palms are sweating, and I feel like I could explode at any second. The only thing that comes to mind that will save me; is my breathing.
My breathing technique is something that I know instantly calms me down. Anxiety can make me panic stricken at moments where I need to perform at my best, or perform in public for others. Mindful breathing takes my mind off the fear and refocuses it to relaxation of the body. It’s also proven to remove toxins and decrease tension. It relaxes the mind and brings clarity while relieving emotional problems and pain. Breathing also improves posture and strengthens the lungs.
I definitely know that I am a shallow mouth breather, and would benefit from practicing mindful breathing each and every day. For some reason, I struggle to put this practice into place. But it’s like everything else, we practice what we want to get good at.
Taking 10 minutes out of my day to receive the benefits from mindful breathing is definitely worth it, and something that I will apply to put into practice today! Step one is, breathing in through the nose and expanding the chest cavity, then exhaling through the nose. Step two is breathing in through the nose and filling the diaphragm, then exhaling. Alternating these two techniques should deliver the greatest results.
I challenge you to test your resting heart rate for 60 seconds before this exercise, and again after it. Record your findings and see what benefits you can receive from mindful breathing.
-Coach Esther Stein