It’s a deliciously breezy autumn morning as I write this, and my spine is supported by a mighty and peaceful northern red oak tree.  The sweet fresh air tickles my bare toes, and the sounds of birds singing in the distance makes me feel joyful and alive.  I am feeling grateful, this morning, for an internal unfurling of inspiration and the light that feels present within me.  

Not every morning feels this blissful.

On many recent mornings, I have felt overwhelmed and anxious, bogged down by seemingly endless to-do lists, professional ambitions, parenting responsibilities, and the mundane day to day tasks of grocery shopping, washing dirty dishes, and putting laundry away. 

We all have so much on our plates.  It’s easy to spiral into gripping anxiety, into feelings of helplessness, and even despair.  

When life circumstances feel overwhelming and just like “too much”, I try to remind myself to simply come back to my breath.  That’s it.  No fancy technique or strategy.  Just getting simple and returning to the sensation of breathing:  inhale, exhale.  I bring awareness to my chest or my belly rising and falling, to the cool air at my nostrils.  I just let myself be.  I whisper internally, “Right now, breathing is just like this”.  

And while this practice doesn’t make all of my stressors magically disappear, it does help me to re-center, to reconnect with my deep well of resilience.  This small moment of just witnessing the breath gives me access to more inner spaciousness, helping me return to life’s challenges with a bit more ease.

What I’ve discovered in my work as a therapist and through my own healing process is that it’s often the simple things that can have the most profound impacts.  It’s all about practicing “small moments, many times”.

Whether this practice of pausing and bringing awareness to your breath is new to you, or part of your repertoire of coping skills, I invite you to take a mindful breath with me.  Keep it simple; just breathe.  Right now, breathing is just like this.