Breathe in, hold, breathe out
I find myself in a season where I am focusing on my breathing a lot. We have 4 young children, I work from home, it is summertime, and there have been other things going on in our life that are completely outside of my control. I have always desired to be a person of peace. Someone that is gentle and steady despite what is going on around me. However, seasons like this one have a way of showing me the deep angst that lives within me. So, I find myself slowing down and taking deep breaths…. a lot.
Deep breathing is like hitting the reset button for your body and mind. When you take slow, deep breaths, you’re telling your nervous system, ‘Hey, it’s okay — we’re safe, no need to be in fight-or-flight mode.’
It lowers your heart rate, eases muscle tension, and helps quiet racing thoughts. Think of it like giving your body a moment to unclench and your mind a little extra space to think clearly.
It’s simple, but powerful — a tool you can use anytime, anywhere, to calm down, focus better, or just feel a little more grounded. And honestly, sometimes it’s the only thing in our lives that you can actually control. I am realizing, and try to remind myself constantly, that I am the only thing I can control. I can plan, hope, and implement, but when it comes down to it, most of life is out of my control. But, me, my mood, and my peace is something I actually do have control over.
I was talking with a dear friend yesterday, and she reminded me that hard doesn’t always equal bad. Things can be hard, overwhelming, exhausting, and even unnerving, but that doesn’t mean it is bad. Sometimes things and life are just hard, so finding the grit and strength within myself to choose to find the joy, be grateful, and breathe is how I want to choose to live in that hard. But, that starts with a calm body, mind, and spirit.
Here are a few things that I have found dramatically help me when I am feeling the weight of things start to creep in :
Breath prayers - I say “come Holy Spirit” probably 100 times a day, just as I breathe, but you can say anything that helps center you and your mind.
Slow down and stop hurrying
Reduce social media and phone usage
Laugh more often - did you know that kids laugh on an average of 300 times per day while adults only laugh 15?
Reach out to a good friend and just share what is going on - when I do this, I am not usually looking for problem solving or comfort, I just want to acknowledge how I am feeling and then release it