Written by: Anne Ward, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
How often do you find at the end of the day you are exhausted, got a lot done yet you feel like nothing was accomplished? Do you start tasks but never finish them? We live such busy lives that we forget to breathe. You say, “Breathing is natural, we don’t need to think about it!”. What would you think if I told you mindful breath is the most relaxing, healing, and precious breath we can give ourselves?
When we look back at generations past, we see a much slower pace of life. What is with the present that makes us so busy? We have two (or one) working parents, kids in school, after-school programs, sports, music, dance, and tutors. We still have domestic duties and social obligations like fundraisers, and family dinners. Often, we eat on the run in our vehicles, change our clothes between stops and come home at the end of the day, or evening, completely exhausted and empty only to find out that we forgot to bake 30 cupcakes for class volunteer responsibilities! Then we try to fit in ‘couple time’ or ‘me time’ only to fall asleep the minute we hit the pillow, if not before our heads even make contact. The divorce rate is up, and relationships seem disposable. And a typical daily activity is for our kids to be locked into their devices so we can get that five-minute mind break, that we so long for. However, how quick we are to get distracted by our own phones as we reach for them to check our social media and post our latest updates of memes.
Now let’s discuss the possibility of slowing down, mindfulness, and taking a breath break! This doesn’t mean stopping all activity, but rather making YOU a priority in all this chaos. Try taking a mindful break just to breathe in the fresh air, smell the roses and let it all go. Slow down the mind and be mindful of your chest and breathing. Even say to yourself “Breath in, Breath out” while you count to ten. In doing this we will increase our focus and find that we accomplish more without the same exhaustion. When we appreciate the small, we allow ourselves the space to celebrate the big. Create a space in your head for silent meditation. This doesn’t have to be elaborate; we can do this while walking. By feeling what we also see, we can experience the moment in a much broader sense of living. Breath in the air and feel the air encompassing our lungs and energizing each muscle of our body as we walk. Breath out the air and feel all the stress of the day floating out through our nostrils into the universe. When we see the flowers stop and feel the petals, and breathe in the gentle aroma of pure living. Feel the motion of the silent sway in the air and look up and notice the drawing in the sky. The way the clouds form pictures and tell a story of things past and things to come. Enjoy the silence in the mind while filling our souls with precious moments of breath. Imagine your breathing filling up your cup of joy and feel it encompass all of you. Slow down, Be mindful, and take a breath break!
Anne Ward, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Anne Ward is dedicated to teaching individuals lifelong skills to better themselves. Anne has a proven record of helping her clients to live a more positive and balanced life through the use of specific tools that can be applied to any situation they may face. Anne’s goal is to help people be the best they can be with the resources and power they host within themselves. Anne will offer an intuitive ear and gentle guidance to clients as they work through areas of their life that they want to improve. Anne is a fantastic professional.
