As a busy working woman, your life is full. There are bills to pay, laundry to do, dreams to chase, maybe kids to care for, work projects to complete, and time to fit in.
With so many tasks and activities to complete in a day, how do you eat to stay calm and stress-free? During the course of your day, there will be times when you feel frustrated, upset, overwhelmed, and perhaps alone.
Sometimes all the glory of life hits you in the face and you don’t know what to do.
Perhaps you are going through a difficult time in your relationship and feel drained and low on energy, or your child may be being bullied at school and you are wondering how best to support him through this.
When you feel overwhelmed and worried about personal or work issues, what can you do to keep the gremlins at bay and stay focused, optimistic, and creative? How do you maintain your sense of inner calm and tranquility with so many competing and conflicting demands on your time?
Your breath is your link to improved health, emotional stability, and well-being. Learning to breathe correctly is vital to help maintain balance and calm. The ancient philosophy of yoga says that we are all born with a certain number of breaths; therefore, it makes sense to use the breath we have efficiently.
Practice the following three basic yoga breathing exercises at any time of the day, when you feel stressed, tired, or exhausted. Better yet, why not try waking up a few minutes earlier, pick a breathing practice, and try it out before you start your day? That way, you start the day in a much clearer and more focused way.
As with all yoga breathing exercises, be kind to, respect, and listen to your body. If you feel uncomfortable, stop the exercise and return to normal breathing.
1. Counted Breath
Sit comfortably, with a good straight spine and feet firmly on the floor, close your eyes and take a long, steady breath in through your nose and slowly out through your nose. Do this for 3 more times as it helps calm and clear your mind. Then slowly inhale for a count of three and exhale slowly for a count of six. Repeat this sequence of inhaling for 3 and exhaling for 6 for 3 to 7 rounds. Slowly open your eyes and become aware of how calm and relaxed you feel.
2. Rainbow Breath
Sit in a comfortable position, with your spine straight and your body relaxed. Close your eyes and visualize a rainbow. See the seven colors of the rainbow. Pick any color or color combination from your rainbow. Imagine yourself slowly inhaling this color(s) through your nose and slowly exhaling it. Allow each breath to gradually deepen and travel throughout your body. Feel the tension in your body leave you as you breathe your color into, around and through your body. Continue this practice until you feel ready to get up and reconnect with your day.
3. Deep Yogic Breathing Sit comfortably with your arms relaxed, your spine straight and your feet firmly on the floor, or lie down on your bed. Place the palm of the right hand on the lower abdomen and the palm of the left hand on the upper chest, just below the collarbone. Inhale slowly through your nose, and as you do so, consciously focus on sending your breath from your right hand to your left hand, noting that your hands rise as you inhale and slowly lower as you exhale. Repeat this deep yogic breathing 3 to 7 more times, each time allowing the breath to become fuller and deeper.
From personal experience and practice, I find the Yogic Deep Breathing Exercise to be particularly helpful in helping me relax at night. When I go to bed, I lie on my bed, put my hands in place, and just breathe slowly and deeply; my focus on my hands, moving up and down with each breath, until I fall asleep. Give it a try and see how it works for you.
As you practice these breathing exercises, you will find your favorite exercise. Stick with it and see what a difference it makes to your mood.