As counter-intuitive as it may seem, the best time to slow down is usually when things feel the most rushed or overwhelming. It might be when you have a lot of assignments piled up, or are racing between home and school, work, or practice, or maybe you are about to start a test.
In these moments, making—and taking—time to reset your focus through the power of the breath is the key to reducing stress and anxiety, controlling panic attacks, increasing focus and attention, managing emotions, and realizing a greater sense of overall well-being.
Once you become familiar with Breath Awareness (link to earlier blog)—meaning consciously shaping the breath into a centered, calm rhythm to regulate stress, anxiety, and emotions, you can begin to insert this Three-Minute Reset practice into your day to restore balance, calm, or energy as needed.
Over time, you will notice that no two Resets are ever the same, and that’s okay– because your body and mind are ever-changing. The breath becomes the anchor that holds you steady when different circumstances or emotions arise, and you will gain confidence in your ability to harness the breath to help regulate emotions and energy during busy days.
Listen to the Three-minute Reset guided practice here.
Three-Minute Reset
1: Checking-in
Come to an upright posture either seated or standing, where you feel supported yet alert.
Close your eyes or bring your eyes to half-mast so the gaze is softly resting on a spot in front of you.
Bring your attention inward and check-in, asking yourself: what is my experience right now?
Try to take a neutral stance and finish the following prompts with a word or short phrase:
My mind is…(busy, scattered, focused, calm, etc).
My body is…(energized, tired, achy, hungry, etc.)
Do not attach to the phrases or try to change anything, just notice how the mind and the body are in that moment.
2. Bringing the attention to the breath
Then, turn your focus to the touch of the breath, wherever you feel it in the body.
Feel the full inhale and full exhale, noticing the wavelike flow and seamless transitions from inhale to exhale to inhale, etc.
Anytime you mind starts to wander, gently guide the attention back to the feeling of the body breathing.
Settle into the flow of breathing, riding the breath like a wave.
3. Expanding attention
Now, expand your attention so that it includes awareness of your body as a whole, including your posture and facial expression, as if the whole body is breathing.
If you notice any discomfort or tension, you can feel free to release that or bring the focus there with the breath.
Let the inhales fill you with energy, and the exhales release any tension or fatigue.
4. Re-start
When you are ready, gently bring the attention back into the space around you and carry on with your day.
Enjoy the sense of calm and centeredness that just a few minutes of breath awareness can induce.
