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A number of years ago, I found myself getting divorced, out of my house, and on my own in a tiny apartment. In the middle of the storm that was my life at that time, I was still getting up and going to work. Sitting at my desk, trying to focus on the screen in front of me, my mind would wander to anything else besides editing the reports in front of me. As it hopped around between thoughts, I would notice my breath becoming just as erratic. As that became shorter, I would feel light headed which was followed shortly by the room closing in on me. The first time this happened, I thought I was about to have a heart attack. The real cause was anxiety (more accurately it was a symptom of a much larger event, but I digress). The only way to bring myself back without medicating, was to breathe. Really breathe.
I began to practice breathing. That sounds ridiculous.
I had to practice breathing.
The truth is, until the moment of my first anxiety attack, I don't think I ever considered that I didn't know how to breathe properly. Taking air in and breathing it back out is something we do from the moment we are born, but if you have ever stopped to check your breath, you may have noticed that your breaths are short. Get the new air in. Get the old air out. Now, do it all again. You may also notice that when you stop to look at your breath, you begin to elongate each inhale and the air takes a nice long trip out. This is so important.
Biologically speaking, breathing in is a survival mechanism. When you are scared, you gasp. Your body is preparing itself for action by filling the blood with oxygen that travels to the muscles and organs. Breathing out relaxes your body and the muscles relax and the brain opens up to the world. If you watch horror movies, like I do, tense scenes are a big part. When each scene like that finishes, the breath leaves in sigh of relief. Breathing in = prepping for action. Breathing out = relaxing after action.
Mastering your breath will help you to master your world. Being aware of the moments that cause you to hold your breath in and releasing it will help you to relax in those moment. Being relaxed opens you up to the experience and gives you control over your actions. Controlling your breath helps you control you. Doing this will open you up to success in anything you do from exercise to trading crypto. If you find yourself needing to slow down, follow the rhythm of the following GIF.
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In your daily life, become conscious of you breathing and you will find that it begins to lengthen naturally. Your mind will calm and the world becomes easier to face with each passing breath.
