We take our breath with us wherever we go. We can’t leave home without it. It costs nothing and gives us the gift of life. Leaving it on automatic will get us through life. Utilizing the power of breathing can make life easier and more enjoyable.
Breathing is an amazing tool for releasing tension. It magically diffuses tension in a matter of minutes. Its greatest power lies in giving you the ability to ride out any upset, whether physical or emotional without taking any other action. No pep talk needed.
Breathing quiets the incessant chatter in the mind. Most of the time, we have no awareness of the thoughts that push and pull us throughout the day. The mind starts up a dialogue, frequently about the past, that draws us into an internal drama that has nothing to do with the present moment. How often are we distracted by our thoughts while trying to complete some other task? Focusing on the breath instead of the mind brings us back to the present moment.
Tasks are complete quicker and better than when our attention is stuck in the past. Doing the best we can is limited by the critical judgment of the mind. There is no truth in the criticisms that we beat ourselves up with. We are supposed to learn from our mistakes, not beat ourselves up for endless years over them. Catch and stop negative feedback from within before it gathers momentum. Breathing releases the tension that starts to build with negative self-talk.The things we focus on expand. Focus on a problem and it gets bigger. Focus on breathing and the problem is less of a problem. Breathing calms the mind and balances the body. The tension filled mind sees only the problem. The calm mind is open to solutions. Sometimes we only need one quiet moment to see a solution that has eluded us repeatedly.
Having an emotional attachment to our problems does not leave much room for finding solutions. Holding your breath is a great way to suppress feelings as they arise. The trouble with that is that holding your breath produces tension. Tension feeds fear. Breathing reduces stress and promotes relaxation. Things happen anyway whether we navigate them with tension or relaxation. It is a whole lot easier to manage the ups and downs of life relaxed. Make a choice.
Emotions are a part of everyday living. We react emotionally to just about everything. We can make choices as to how we handle those feelings. All emotions are normal. It is when we continually suppress them that we throw our mind and body out of alignment. Emotions are subject to change. Just wait five minutes or think a different thought and see how easy it is to shift emotions. Utilizing the breath to shift emotions allows that energy to flow rather than be suppressed. The suppressing of emotions leads to a buildup of stress that at some point boils over into acting out or illness. Emotions need to be felt. They don’t have to always be physically expressed.
There is great benefit to being tactful or respectful in a difficult situation. Just because feelings of anger or resentment arise, does not mean acting out from them is for the highest good. It takes some practice to respond to strong emotions by focusing on breathing. The benefits are amazing when experienced. Life is after all, an experience.