Let me share with you one of the easiest self-care habits I know.

Breathing. Obviously, right, or we’d all be sideways. But a bit like the difference between ‘existing’ and ‘living’, not all ways of drawing breath into and out of our body are equal, while the potential benefits of being able to ground ourselves using the power of breath are huge.

Or you may know how we can ground ourselves using breath already, of course - but how often do you actually employ it? Despite practicing breathing in a conscious way taking only seconds (or as long as you want it to), being super simple to do, costing absolutely nada and able to be done absolutely anytime, anywhere...

Secret Tip! It can also be a seed from which so many other positive self-empowering things grow...

So, bring yourself to STOP right now, just exactly where you are. Hold fire for like 5 seconds to give your ability to ground yourself using your breath a go…

1    Firstly, pull your shoulders back a little and open up your chest.

2    Now, take an inward breath and consciously feel the impact that breath is having within your body. What muscles are moving? In what directions? How deeply are you comfortably able to breath in? And if you do this a few times in a row, does your capacity increase even if just a little bit?

3    How does it feel if you now extend the feeling of that inward breath out to the rest of your body? Out to your limbs, head, fingers and toes if you can – what different sensations can you feel now? Do you feel anything as far out as the inside of your skin.

4    And when if you now extend the feeling of that inward breath out to the rest of your body? Out to your limbs, head, fingers and toes if you can – what different sensations can you feel now? Do you feel anything as far out as the inside of your skin?

Overwhelm occurs in our head. We can help combat this using grounding and centering techniques in our body.

Many of us tend to live so much in our head, you know. All up there so much of the time and quite disassociated with our bodies - and therefore, also separated from the grounded centre of who we really are underneath the daily stresses, responsibilities and various emotions that come and go but which so often distract or overwhelm us.

There are many breathing techniques out there you may wish to investigate via the internet and use. Breathing is after all at the crux of so many things – being alive of course but also relaxation, yoga, meditation, many sports and martial arts, etc.

But even just keeping it SUPER SIMPLE by making a point of being conscious of your breathing for a short time as you remember throughout the day, and playing with that in different ways…

Much love,

xAnthea