Take A Breath

Want crisper lettuce?  Cool…stay with me here.

We’ve all been there.  You’re sitting in the middle of a tense situation and are quickly approaching a decision point.  Your pulse picks up (whether you realize it or not) and you start thinking through your options as fast as you can so you’re prepared when the crossroads hits.

Stop.  Take a breath.

As you work to create the positive impact you want to see in the world and for yourself, you’re going to be in a lot of intense situations.  The people who go make stuff happen always end up in decision-moments.  When this happens, remembering to take a breath can quickly reset and rebalance you before taking a next step.

Let’s talk about the value of breathing.  When we inhale deeply and then exhale, some really good stuff happens in the body.  For starters, we keep living…that’s not bad.  Going a level deeper, though, we get oxygen pumping through the systems, which improves everything from happiness to mental function.  I won’t get all sciencey on you, but you can read more on the benefits on deep breathing on this healthcare site.

Sure, this comes easy to some people, but not really for those of us who think with our emotions first (hand raised).  When I’m in a tense situation, I have to constantly remind myself “decision point coming…remember to stop.”  When I do, I can diffuse a pissed off teammate or get a group discussion back on track.  When I don’t, I end up trying to slam the fridge door, but forget the crisper drawer is still pulled out…and that’s why we don’t have a crisper drawer anymore, and all our lettuces are sad.

So if you want crisp veggies, or if you want to make better in-the-moment decisions, remember to take a breath.

Want a chance to give $25 to your favorite non-profit?  All you have to do is Share Your Own Experience!

Photo by @Shot-through-the-heart on Unsplash