Woooossssaaaa

Take a breath

I found power in my exhale

I popped out of bed at 5:30 a.m. After the morning rituals, I found myself in a “glazed donut” look directly following my warmup.

Shortly after, I staged the placement of the heaviest weights I could find to begin a vigorous work out.

Suddenly, the humming chords of an electric guitar started playing the “Eye of Tiger.”

Doves gracefully flew overhead.

A motorcycle rider in the distance bellowed a heavy growl from his or her exhaust.

I started my workout circuit, and I felt good.

My veins in my arms looked like gushing riverbeds.

My hair blew wildly in the air as if I were center stage at a Beyonce concert.

The air smelled like grit and hard work.

I began to fatigue as my workout drew to a close. The type of fatigue that made my throat dry. The type of fatigue that made me question why I took it too far. The type of fatigue that had every cell of my body doing a two-step.

In my last few hundred reps, I closed my eyes, BREATHED, and completed my workout.

So… the details of my work out may be a stretch… but I would like to divert your attention to controlled breathing.

You may have used controlled breathing in the past and techniques vary among physical exercises. For running, you may want to have a consistent pattern of breath. For strength, exhaling is used during the most challenging exertion. In yoga, slow and deep breathing is habitually applied. In any case, breathing is intentional. Each breath serves as fuel to your muscles to generate the appropriate power for the most efficient use of effort.

Controlled breathing has also been a long-standing mental health practice. It encompasses components of mindfulness, meditation, emotional regulation, and many other coping skills.

I’ve implemented various techniques during counseling sessions, and clients have told me that it “feels awkward.” Some people may find it simple and dull.

I get it.

Additionally, I am often asked, “How can something we do every day actually be helpful?”

A few things come to mind:

1.       Breath is pertinent to life. The way you breathe impacts your heart rate, blood pressure, stress response and your brain state.

2.       Deliberately copying a relaxed breathing pattern calms the nervous system that controls the body's involuntary functions.

If you make the time the exercise, if your agitation level hits 100, if you’re working in an office setting, if traffic conditions cause a spiritual stir, if you’re conducting a bedtime routine, if that guy in the corner keeps sneezing without covering his mouth, if your angry, if you spill colorful liquid on your shirt, if you’re sad, if you trip over your shoe lace, if you’re tired, if your supervisor/teacher/loved one tells you to do ONE MORE THING…

I challenge you to take a moment for yourself, close your eyes, and breathe.  Your next adventure as a stronger and healthier you await.