Breathing Through the Stress of Summer

Our school year is wrapping up this week and our oldest is “graduating” from the6^th grade, we’re getting ready for a 2-week East Coast adventure and I also have a ton of work deliverables due this week. I’m acutely aware of volume of items on my to-do list and I’m also acutely aware of times when I notice my stomach, jaw and shoulders are clenched like nobody’s business. [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="yes" overflow="visible"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="no" center_content="no" min_height="none"]I consider it a success that I even notice my body is clenching. For many years I didn’t have that level of body awareness and thought clenching was just the way everyone responded to stress. However, after learning more about the practice of being truly present, I now know there is an alternative. The more I observe my clenching, the more opportunities I have to change it. So instead of staying clenched when I feel overwhelmed, I practice taking a deep breath…or three.I know taking a breath can sound awfully simplistic, but it works. When I breathe, I create the space to tune into the moment and observe what is happening with my thoughts and emotions. By observing what I’m experiencing in the moment (clenching), I notice my underlying assumptions such as, “I don’t have enough time” or “this is going to be hard.”The moment I start questioning my thoughts or assumptions, I’m no longer operating on autopilot and thus a victim to my “stress”. Instead, I realize I have options. I’ve played with staying present in the moment enough times to remember that I it’s possible to stay clear and grounded even in the midst of a lot going on. It’s an interesting loop…the more I breathe, the more relaxed I feel and ultimately the more resourceful I am. But, when I don’t breathe, I stay on autopilot and continue to react to my perceived stress.Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t been “perfect” at staying present – I’ve had a little breakdown or two. But presence isn’t about perfection or always being even-keeled. It’s about being able to observe your reactions and thoughts as quickly as possible and bring yourself back to a place of resourcefulness. For me, taking a few deep breaths is my pathway towards sanity and wellbeing.Granted, this wasn’t a particularly fun few weeks, but when I brought myself back to presence via my breath, everything got easier. I felt like I was more in the flow of life - deadlines were met with ease, innovative ideas popped in my head from “out of the blue” and I’ve sincerely enjoyed some special moments with the people I love most.Experiment: When the stress of summer (or anytime) kicks in, I invite you to do the most natural thing in the world…take a breath (or three!) When you’re stressed your system clenches and you literally cut yourself off from getting enough oxygen. But when you input more oxygen into your system, both your body and mind relax and you will have a much better chance of finding your own source of sanity and flow![/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]