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Anchor Your Breath: A 5-Min Mindful Reset for the Busy Holidays
Hey there, I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here with me today. You know, it's early December, and if you're anything like most people I talk to, there's this peculiar blend of excitement and overwhelm happening right now. The holidays are creeping in, your to-do list probably looks like a grocery receipt from a small country, and somewhere between all that, you're trying to remember what it feels like to just breathe. So today, we're going to do something simple but powerful together. We're going to practice what I call the anchor breath, and it's going to take just five minutes.
Let's start by getting comfortable wherever you are right now. You don't need to be in some fancy yoga studio or sitting in a specific pose. Just settle into a position where your spine feels fairly tall but your shoulders can relax. If you're sitting, let your feet land flat. If you're lying down, that's perfectly fine too. And when you're ready, just let your eyes gently close, or soften your gaze downward. There's no right or wrong here.
Now, take a moment to notice what's happening in your body right now. Don't try to change anything yet. Just observe. Maybe there's tightness in your shoulders. Maybe your jaw is clenched. Maybe you feel scattered. That's all welcome information. You're not broken. You're just human, and you're carrying stress, which is completely normal.
Here's where we anchor. I want you to imagine your breath as a gentle rope, tossing from your nose down into your belly. Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four, and as you do, feel that breath traveling all the way down to your lower belly, creating expansion, like a balloon gently filling. Hold it there for just a moment. Now exhale through your mouth for a count of six, longer than the inhale, watching that balloon slowly deflate. That exhale is your release valve. Do this eight more times, anchoring your attention right there with each breath. When your mind wanders, and it will, that's not failure. That's the practice. Just gently bring it back to the rope, the breath, the count.
As we close, notice that you feel a little different. Maybe not transformed, but slightly more tethered to the present moment. That's the magic. Carry this anchor breath with you today. When stress pops up, which it will, take just three conscious breaths using this technique. You've got this.
Thank you so much for spending these five minutes with me on Daily Mindfulness. If this resonated with you, please subscribe so we can keep doing this together. You deserve moments of peace, and I'm honored to share them with you.
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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Published on 2 weeks, 5 days ago