Just Breathe

I suppose I could use the excuse of "this time of year". Or because it's "it's been a long day". Or because I just sat in an hour of Atlanta traffic (pretty calmly, only a couple times saying "idiot!" and "jerk!", thank you very much). Or because I just haphazardly made oatmeal cookies out of the few ingredients I had (substituting vegetable oil with 2/3 stick of butter, less oats then required, probably too much nutmeg - oh well) for a girls' "wine" night tomorrow night. I just cut them, and they are flaky. Yes, flaky oatmeal cookies. Shoot!

...............

Or, on a heavier note, I could say I need to breathe because I'm wondering about a very sick but lovely great grandfather. Lots of confusion about old age and death, and "only ifs", and will he know who I am when I visit him for the last time? I think so, and I hope so.

Regardless of what you're facing today - from flaky cookies to the more intimate, tender moments of the life cycle - just breathe. Come back to the breath. That's what I'm telling myself. It helps to calm the mind and still the body toward peace. It's what I tell my clients everyday, but it's also what I tell myself. I wish I could say I tell myself to constantly breathe, that I'm always aware of my breath, that I always catch myself when I spin with nervousness or get belly aches of anxiety. I wish I could say I have it all figured out. That's a loaded wish and silly impossible!

But, just like you, I have to do it when I remember. I come back to my breath more and more. But, I'm not perfect. It takes work, but it works!

No matter where you are. Start there. Just breathe. Come back to your breath.

If you need some inspiration, I love the song "Breathe" by Telepopmusik. If you want to listen without pulling up iTunes, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZZ4LsvzI50

Happy breathing...