DESTRESS THE MIND WITH BREATHING
Article by Jo Ann Bellistri Photo: Halley Elefante
“What day is it?”
It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
My favorite day,” said Pooh."
-A.A. Milne
Stress related diseases are huge. Our daily lives are hectic, rushed and can become an overwhelming blur because we don’t stop and experience the present.
Worrying expends a ton of our energy yet produces nothing good. Stress wreaks havoc on our bodies and minds. We constantly waste our precious moments on concerns, past mistakes, and anticipating future problems. Living in the moment is difficult to do in our hustle bustle lives.
The voice in our mind is constantly chattering about what just happened or what might be happening next. We waste time worrying about the past and future. We are so distracted by the endless stream of mental noise that we rarely live in the present moment. What we should be doing is embracing each moment instead of allowing our minds to wander from one thing to the next.
When we realize this is happening, it’s time to slow down, take a few deep breaths and pay attention to the world around us.
Quieting the chatter in our heads and experiencing the moment we are in will bring us reduced stress, more joy, appreciation and clear focus. The idea is simple, but being present takes practice.
There are many methods for calming the mind and experiencing the present. Yoga, guided relaxation recordings, music, exercise, and meditation all work well.
The cheapest and easiest stress reducer is simply breathing.
Breathing improves health by actually changing things in the body. Breathing deeper, slower and quieter on a regular basis can change skin temperature, help with insomnia, calm the mind and most importantly reduce stress and bring us into the moment.
Slow it down for a few minutes each day. Pay attention, smell the roses, look up at the clouds, count the stars or just breathe and experience life as it happens. Make today your favorite day.
