Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Just Breathe

For many of us, this is a stressful time of year. For much of the United States, this is a stressful economic period. For me, this is a stressful season of my life. How should we cope?

I just try to keep breathing. Ten slow, deep, rhythmic breaths in through my nose and out through my mouth are my cure all. If I feel angry or anxious, I breathe. If I can’t fall asleep or am feeling sluggish in the morning, I breathe. If I hurt myself in the kitchen or someone hurts my feelings, I breathe. No matter what it is, when I feel like I just can’t take it anymore, breathing helps me feel better, maybe not 100%, but better. (After all, many women get through childbirth with only their breath, so you know it’s a powerful relaxant and pain reducer.)

So if you’re feeling frazzled, take a deep breath (or ten) and carry on. You can do this.

2 comments:

  1. That's a really good point.

    Kind of like "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming" from Finding Nemo. :) Disney philosophy, you know!

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  2. I'm going to try to remember this, thanks for the reminder. I did give birth three times to 8-9 lbs babies using active relaxation and breathing, sometimes I forget that accomplishment. From that I took the phrase I use in my head, "just 3 more minutes, I can do anything for three minutes". I guess in the intervening years I've forgotten the power of fueling our bodies with deep lungfuls of air and a relaxation of both physical and mental tensions! I am going to remember this as I deal with the pain of fibromyalgia in my daily life. Thanks for the reminder!

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