Just Breathe

     Sometimes I get stressed. We all do. Things in life just hit us up side the head and spiral us into a never ending black hole. We allow ourselves to be "what ifed" to death by our imagination and before we know it we are completely and totally overwhelmed. It's not pretty.
   
     I have found myself more than once wadded up in the corner of a sofa with my arms tightly wrapped around my waist thinking what am I going to do, when in reality, when it was all said and done, the answer was quite simple. We have all been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

     But recently I have been taught something that has helped me. Mindfulness.

Some people would call it meditation. But, for me it's just a way of refocusing.

     Now I know what some of you are thinking, meditation is a religious practice. Trust me, I have thought the same thing but just like yoga, it doesn't have to be. Yoga is a way of stretching your body and strengthening your core by holding positions. Can you add some religious practice to it? Sure, but it can be any religion or none at all. Same with meditation.

     Meditation is just a way to relax and refocus. Period. And it works. It helps move you from the scattered "I gotta do something" mind to the "What is most important at the moment."

     I'm going to give you a few simple prompts to work with. You can do it with or without music, I choose without. I like the quiet.

     Get into a relaxed position. You can sit in a chair, prop your feet up, lay down, whatever works.

     Now, close your eyes. Sit quietly for a moment. Take inventory of how your body feels. The fabric against your body. Maybe the cushions you are sitting on. Where are your hands resting? Now, relax your face. Relax your arms. Relax your stomach. Relax your legs.

   





Next breathe.

Take a deep breath in. Focus on your breath coming in through your nose, filling your lungs, then going out through your nose. Feel the coolness as it comes in and moves down your throat. Feel your lungs expand.

   






Now focus on your thoughts. Picture them rolling through like waves. They roll in and then fade. Rest in your thoughts for a moment.














     Return your focus to your breathing. Focus on the air coming in, your chest expanding and the air leaving. Take a deep breath, let it stay for a moment then release it slowly.

                                                                      Open your eyes.

     This should take about 3 minutes of your time and trust me, when you are done, you will feel relaxed and much more capable of taking on whatever you have in front of you. Try it out.
I have attached a link to one on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEfs5TJZ6Nk

     Let me know what you think.