Where are you feeling your breath right now? The answer to this question is surprisingly illuminating and has implications for your wellbeing…
Is it coming from the back of your throat? Your upper chest? Your heart? Your abdomen?
The lower down in your body you feel it, the calmer your nervous system is likely to be.
If your breaths are feeling short and shallow, it could mean that your body is on high alert. Perhaps you’re feeling tense or stressed. Perhaps there’s a massive To Do list to get through today and it feels like you barely have time to breathe.
Taking a moment to breathe deeply – right down to the diaphragm – can have a powerful and instant effect – not just on our nervous systems, but – as a result – on how we’re feeling, our ability to relate to others, our capacity to make clear-headed decisions, on our creativity and resourcefulness.
Yesterday, I was lucky enough to be in a webinar with the inspirational Kelly Swingler, who calls herself “ The Burnoutologist”. Burnout is a devastating condition that can take years to recover from.
The best way through it? The breath.
As Kelly said: In the breath, we are in the moment. When we’re in the moment, our nervous systems can be eased.
I see so many people whose toxic workplaces or unrealistically demanding roles are putting them in danger of burnout. Some have already suffered one burnout and haven’t been able to escape the conditions that endanger their health and risk it happening again.
No job is worth getting seriously ill for. Without our health, no amount of “success” is meaningful.
Take the time to breathe today, people.
Photo by Max van den Oetelaar on Unsplash