Day 20: Take a Deep Breath
The only time that I remember to take deep breaths is when I feel overwhelmed.
A couple of days back, I was desperately cramming, trying to meet a deadline in the midst of the pile of things to do. My to-do list was getting longer by the day, I was in need of a design, I needed to work on a project, the house was a mess, the kids were awake. Whew! Feeling overwhelmed, I took deep breaths to calm my frantic heart. A few good breaths later, I felt calmer and saner. I was able to focus and actually start getting things done.
I feel that taking deep breaths do help a lot so I made this sign and stuck it where I can see it everyday.
Deep breathing is not only good for calming the nerves but it has health benefits like strengthening the lungs and the heart, improving posture, digestion, the quality of blood, the nervous system as well.
This is the breathing technique that I follow from Livestrong.com:
- Breathe in through your nose. Exhale slowly through your nose while you count to five. Tighten or tense your abdominal muscles. At the end of your breath, pause for two counts, then inhale slowly while you count to five. Expand your belly as you breathe in. Close your eyes and repeat five to10 times.
Review:
Day 15: Return what is not Yours
Day 14: Get DH into an Active Lifestyle
Day 11: Practice Helping Others (with Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF)
Day 8: Look into Oneself First Before Judging
Day 6: Clean Up / Throw Trash in the Bin
Day 5: Choose Whole Wheat over White Bread