How To Focus On Your Breath, And Change Your Life
We had torrential rain the other morning. My neighbors have horses, and they had about six feet of water in their pasture. It was crazy!
I find storms very relaxing. They are beautiful demonstrations of strength and power. As I relaxed on the porch during the storm, I felt the charged air against my skin and heard the distant rumble of thunder. Surprisingly I soon felt myself shift in my memory and my body to a much more peaceful state. I could feel all the tension and stress melt away as I relaxed into the moment. Some part of me traveled to a much younger time in my life—a time of rest and relaxation without so many cares.
My wife and I have several morning rituals. One of them is what is called priming and is a practice adopted from Tony Robbins' teachings. We found it to be very helpful in preparing us for the day and ensuring we start out on the right foot. We also do Wim Hof breathing using the Wim Hof app every morning. There are quite a few reasons for this practice, but today I mention it because of the mindfulness aspect. For us, it is a form of active meditation that is very powerful.
Priming and Wim Hof breathing both require disciplined focus and breathe control. Learning to control our breathing and using it to control our “state” or physiology has changed so much for us. It creates an environment conducive to deep relaxation. In turn, this opens us up to deeper and more powerful inner work, which is what happened to me this morning.
For many of us, it is easier to hold onto the hurts and pains of the past rather than remembering and reflecting on things through a lens of gratitude. For a long time, I held on to my past in a negative light. I remembered all the pain of the bullying and the shame I felt growing up. I remembered all the things I hated and disliked about myself and my surroundings. My journey though this morning reminded me of just how much I loved and enjoyed life during that time as well. The feelings I recalled this morning we of pure joy and contentment. I never would have remembered those memories if I hadn't taken the time to slow down focus on the moment and just breathe.
Whether you adopt the habits my wife and I have or not, you need to take time in your life to slow down and breathe and just be present every day. My wife and I have a lot of practices and routines to help us live our lives a little bit better. Priming and Wim Hof are only two of them. It can take some adjustment to get started, but then it is as easy as 5,4,3…1.
Learn to start your day off right…with focus and gratitude.
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Here's to your continued outstanding health and Wellness.
Joe and Amy Lee