Your Strength Lives In Your Nervous System, NOT In Your muscles.

In time of stress or even distress, We workout or “exert” aggressively or “hard” in an effort to drain ourselves to exhaustion as a way to turn the mind off. This is not a sustainable long-term strategy. It actually creates more stress, the overproduction of stress hormones and can actually impede proper breathing and CAUSE weight gain.

If we want to thrive in a state of well-being, we must dedicate a conscious & consistent effort to halting the unnecessary & damaging commentary in our minds.

The habit of overthinking, worrying and self-judgement/censorship can cause us to be in a constant state of tension. Since our nervous system perceives any “threat” as a need to fight and fly, we create and sustain a vicious cycle that is harmful to our health, personal development and overall wellbeing. (Enter stage left: CORTISOL; a debilitating and toxic hormone.)

Do you often find yourself running a negative commentary inside your head? Are you able to notice when this is happening? What strategy do you use to stop your inner dialogue when it goes full cuckoo or batshit crazy?

Try stillness. Yes, STILLNESS. Stop, drop and BREATHE. It’s that simple.

We have the ability to take control of a “hijacked” nervous system.

Sit, spine straight, feet flat on the surface beneath you, shoulders loose and rolled back (hunching impedes our breath) and rest palms gently on the thighs. Focus your gaze on something 5 feet in front of you. Now gently let your eyelids drop to reveal a dim gaze.

Here’s where it gets good. Uncomplicated and healing.

Inhale deeply and deliciously throughout the nose. Envision your nasal inhale as a satisfying bite of your favorite dish - when you are your most ravenous. Breathe. ALL the way in. Sip the inhale until you cannot bear one more morsel of air. Now hold it for 5 counts. Feel lightheaded? Good! You are doing great. Now, exhale slowly and deliberately until you have empty all of the toxic, agitated, worrisome and burdening air from your beautiful lungs. Repeat this 9 more times.

When you have completed these nourishing rounds of breatth, gently open your eyes, refocus your gaze on the same spot, roll your head to the left, right, front and back. Shrug and roll your shoulders a few times, wriggle your wrists and now, SMILE. Yes, SMILE. Be in that bliss for about 15 seconds.

You have just completed a hard “reset” of your nervous system. YOU did that. No app, no teacher, no class, no thinking. Just you, in control of your intentional breath and your peace.

It’s that simple. Take back your POWER with your breath. Rinse and repeat at will. Now, go dazzle ‘em you baddass.