How One Minute of Daily Breathing Changed My Life
One year ago, on the fourth anniversary of my late husband’s death, I huddled in bed to stay warm, utterly alone, defeated, and hopeless. It was 20-degrees outside and the furnace was broken, my husband Eric was out of town and the pain from my foot treatment was opioid-level agony. I knew I had to do something. I was struggling. Just a few months earlier, we relocated to Dallas for my new husband’s work and the opportunity for the future that it presented. Although exciting, I was devastated to leave Edmonds and the community I had built up after many years, not to mention my business, my loyal client base…
The Most Stressful Time Of The Year
The fact is, the holidays are very stressful. Even if you don’t manifest your stress in illness, like I apparently do, it can be an overwhelming time for so many of us. It never hurts any of us to minimize stress regardless. Here’s my plan, it’s not too late to join me!
Just Breathe
I don’t meditate, unless you count my daily walks, which I believe to be a form of active meditation. But sitting down and getting still and observing your breath as you inhale and exhale and try to clear your mind by dispassionately observing the myriad of thoughts that suddenly all want to come in to your brain—nah, not my thing. I actually do believe deep breathing is so very good for us, and collectively we probably don’t do nearly enough of it. But I grew up in a religious organization that practiced meditation (and yoga, actually) long before it became a “thing” in the US. Perhaps it was the timing…