Breathe

The well-known saying “There is nothing to fear but fear itself” seems somewhat simplistic, as does the advice to always “choose love instead of fear.” How do we actually embody these bits of wisdom?

We begin by learning the art of centering by focusing on our breath whenever fear or anxiety starts to grab us. Centering allows us to blend and flow with the current situation rather than block and resist it. Instead of reacting habitually, we pause and begin with our breath. We slowly breathe in through our nose and then hold that breath for a count of four. Next, we breathe that breath out through pursed lips, relaxing our facial muscles, for a count of eight. We repeat this process until we calm down.

With each breath, we can intentionally allow our abdominal breathing to get slower, quieter, and more regular, which communicates to our entire nervous system that we are safe. Breathing in, we are present to whatever is. Breathing out, we calm ourselves. Our breath is the bridge from where we are to where we’d like to be. We ride the waves of our breath to a calmer, safer place, where we can more easily problem-solve and take positive action.

Whenever any strong emotions threaten to overwhelm me, I can practice the art of centering.