Becoming aware of your breathing can allow you to release anxiety & reduce daily stress in just moments. Creating a practice around finding your breath, also commonly referred to as a “breathing exercise,” is a great tool to use to help reduce the mind clutter and anxiety you feel throughout the day & instant de-stress in a few easy steps. Today on the blog & podcast, I’m sharing 3 tips to use breathing exercises to calm anxiety and reduce daily stress in a few easy steps. Whether it’s the large load of laundry that needs washing, your never-ending to-do list, or simply a general feeling of overwhelm in your chest, these breathing exercise tips will help you recenter yourself throughout the day & reduce those daily feelings of anxiety and stress.
3 Tips to Use Breathing Exercises to Calm Anxiety & Reduce Daily Stress
With time, practice, and a little bit of patience, you will find a new relationship with your “exhale.” Using breathing exercises has become an intentional part of my daily life and an important part of maintaining my sense of peace and calm. Use these tips to inspire you to embrace this daily practice of becoming aware of your breath to calm anxiety & reduce daily stress as part of living a happy, healthy, and intentional life.
Tip #1 Check In With Your Breath Throughout the Day
Check in with your breath throughout the day and become aware of the emotions you're having and how you’re feeling when you experience feelings of anxiety, stress, or overwhelm. What are the thoughts or feelings you want to recognize and release? What are the thoughts or feelings you want to create to bring about an inner sense of peace and calm?
TIP #2 Set Your Intentions Before Doing a Breathing Exercise
After you’ve become aware of your thoughts and feelings, take a moment to set your intentions before doing a breathing exercise. For example, “I intend to be fully present... “I intend to let go…” or “I intent to soften and follow my breath…” Setting these intentions will allow you to give yourself the time and space needed to really recenter and refocus your mind so that your breathing practice will have the best impact on reducing your feeling of anxiety, overwhelm, and stress.
Tip #3 Incorporate a Breathing Exercise in Your Daily Routines & Let Go of Expectations
As you become more comfortable with the daily practice of using breathing exercises to calm anxiety and reduce daily stress, you may want to start making it part of your daily routine. For example, you could use a breathing exercise as you begin each morning, for a mid-day reset, or to end your day and bring it to a calm and peaceful closure before going to sleep each night. It’s important to let go of the societal expectation that you need complete silence or spend hours of time meditating to see a positive impact from breathing exercises. It only takes moments to reconnect with your breath and find your center of calm. Use the “5 Breaths” Breathing Exercise below to begin a daily breathing practice…
HOW TO: “5 Breaths” Breathing Exercise
STEP #1: Place your feet on the ground & look straight forward. You can also do this exercise sitting or lying down if desired.
STEP #2: Take 5 deep breaths through the nose for as long as you can without causing discomfort
STEP #3: Release 5 long exhales out through the mouth as long as you can before breathing in again.
NOTE: Check-in on how you feel before starting this breathing exercise & how you feel after. Don’t forget to take a moment before beginning this exercise to set your intentions for how you desire to feel afterward and focus on creating those feelings of peace and calm as you breathe in & out.
Use these breathing exercises for anxiety and daily stress to calm an anxious mind, recenter yourself throughout your day, and begin living an intentional life of peace and joy despite any amount of chaos that may be going on around you.
Listen to the Podcast BELOW:
Make sure to tune in to today’s video episode for a more in-depth look at shifting your mindset and managing stress in your daily life.
xo, Lizzie
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Essential oils help me become grounded & present in any given moment & harness the power of self-reflection to find what I need to focus on and what I need to let go of to achieve a more well-balanced, happier, & healthier daily lifestyle.
doTERRA Breathe is a remarkable blend of essential oils including Laurel Leaf, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, Lemon, Cardamom, Ravintsara, and Ravensara. doTERRA Breathe maintains feelings of clear airways and easy breathing while minimizing the effects of seasonal threats. doTERRA Breathe can be applied topically to the chest, back, or bottom of feet, or diffused at nighttime to calm the senses and promote a restful sleep.
Uses
Diffuse, inhale directly from palms, or rub on chest or feet when seasonal and environmental threats are high.
Use when outdoors to minimize the effects of seasonal threats.
Diffuse at bedtime for a restful environment.
Directions for Use
Diffusion: Use three to four drops in the diffuser of your choice.
Topical use: Apply one to two drops to desired area. Dilute with doTERRA Fractionated Coconut Oil to minimize any skin sensitivity. See additional precautions below.
Another great option to get started on your essential oil journey is to sign up for a mind & mood kit. Read about it here.
As an author and certified life coach, I’m on a mission to empower you to embrace self-care in your physical, emotional, and spiritual life. I'm experienced in holistic health, time management, and the power of essential oils. Above all, my passion is finding ways to make people’s lives easier so they can enjoy the simple moments.
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