Have you ever noticed how the hustle and bustle of everyday life gets a BIG boost at certain times of the year, especially when we're facing a life, career or expat transition?
Our diaries are full of invitations, professional meetings, annual celebrations and social events! If you're an expat, you've got the numerous farewell celebrations for those who are moving on to new horizons, preparations for holidays in your home country, friends and family coming to visit you... and for many of us, organizing a move!
We're juggling lists of shopping to do, appointments not to forget, thank-you cards to write, gifts to buy, passports to renew, not forgetting medical checks for the children's schools, and the list goes on and on.
During all this logistics, with all these departures and changes, we are often also faced with a heavy emotional burden to manage or support, whether for yourself or your children. The end of the school year is such an intense time that we sometimes forget the most important thing: BREATHE!
INSPIRE through your nose - EXPIRE through your mouth!
We breathe, of course, but systematically, automatically, without paying attention. When was the last time you consciously took a deep breathing? Let's do it right now! Stop reading this article for a moment, sit back in your chair and take three deep breaths!
INSPIRE through your nose - EXPIRE through your mouth!
INSPIRE through your nose - EXPIRE through your mouth!
INSPIRE through your nose - EXPIRE through your mouth!
Is it done? How do you feel now? Have you noticed how these three deep breaths have an immediate impact on your well-being? You probably feel calmer and more grounded in the present. The good news is that it's easy and always within reach! Your breathing is your best ally, your essential anti-stress tool.
BREATHING is not only vital, but also fundamental to calming our emotions, our thoughts, our reactions and, ultimately, to being more effective. It is a precious tool for emotional, mental and physical awareness.
BREATHING consciously and deeply provides space for a short break. It helps us to stop for a moment, anchor ourselves in the present and listen to what's going on inside us, here and now.
BREATHING consciously and deeply activates our parasympathetic nervous system, which puts us in a state of relaxation and reduces our stress symptoms.
BREATHING consciously and deeply allows our rational brain to connect with our emotional brain... so that we are not overwhelmed by our emotions and so that we can calm our worries, doubts, fears, anger or frustrations. Conscious breathing doesn't solve our problems, but it does help us to see things more clearly.
BREATHING consciously and deeply is much better than ruminating. As Christophe André, the famous French author and psychiatrist, puts it:
“Breathing does not transform reality. But breathing does transform our experience of reality. And preserves our ability to act on that reality.”
When I discovered that conscious breathing was my ally in dealing with the little and big worries of everyday life, I decided that I was going to make sure that I BREATHING consciously several times a day until it became a habit... a conscious automatism!
BREATHE
as soon as I feel a little tired.
BREATHE
as soon as I feel tension.
BREATHE
to anchor myself in the present moment.
BREATHE
to feel ALIVE!
With my clients, before each coaching session begins, we take two or three minutes to simply BREATHE deeply and consciously. This is what allows us to commit fully to the coaching session and create our own little bubble for the duration of the session.
Adding a few beautiful breathings to your daily routine
Here are some tips to help you add a few beautiful breathings to your daily routine!
1. Set yourself the intention of stopping several times a day to BREATHE deeply and consciously.
2. Set yourself reminders so that you don't forget to BREATHE :
- Program an alarm on your phone.
- Stick post it notes on your mirror, desk or fridge.
- Wear a bracelet with the word BREATHING on it.
- Decide to BREATHE every time you open a door.
3. Take advantage of a transition to BREATHE :
- When you wake up before getting out of bed.
- When you sit down at your desk or before turning on your computer.
- When you sit down at your desk or before turning on your computer.
- Every time you get up from your desk chair.
4. Give a hug to your partner, child, friend... and at the same time take this moment to BREATHE deeply together.
5. Meditate for 5 minutes a day, concentrating on your breathing. First take three deep breaths: BREATHE in through your nose as you watch your belly expand and BREATHE out through your mouth as you watch your belly collapse. Then breathe normally, concentrating on an area of your body where you can easily detect your breathing: at the entrance to your nostrils, your chest, your throat or your stomach.
Conclusion
Our breathing is our best ally. It allows us to refocus, relax, recharge our batteries, take a break, release physical tension and calm our emotions and thoughts. By being aware of our breathing and using it as a relaxation tool during stressful periods, we're equipping ourselves with a simple tool that's always at hand to help us manage our hectic expatriate lives!
So, from now on, when you feel the stress coming on... remember to BREATHE !