Simple Breathing Exercise for Anxiety

Breathing exercises can feel hard. 

I used to hate when people said that to me, “Just take a breath”. Damn, that pissed me off. It felt so patronizing and condescending to have people tell me to breathe. 

CAN’T YOU SEE I’M DEALING WITH SOMETHING OVER HERE?! 

Yes. Yes they could. 

Everyone could. 

And they were right. I needed to breathe. 

“But I AM breathing and it’s not working!” is what we say to those people. 

Yes. You are! You for sure are. Because you wouldn’t still be alive if you weren’t breathing. 

And yes you are right! It’s not working! 

You haven’t tuned into your breath yet. 

Let me show you you. 

Tuning into your breath is insanely helpful. It will alleviate anxiety, it alleviates stress, it makes it easier to maintain your balance and your self attunement during moments when you wanna go off. 

Steps for breathing to calm anxiety: 

1) Start with sitting comfortably. Try to put both feet solidly on the floor for the first couple times. 

2) Take one hand and put it on your belly. Support her! Hold her tight like you’re gonna start dancing with her. 

3) Take your other hand, and put it on your chest, over your heart. I recommend right hand on your heart, but that’s my personal preference. 

4) If you’re comfortable with it, close your eyes. If you don’t want to close your eyes, gaze softly at something about a foot in front of your face. 

5) Inhale through your nose. Your tummy should expand, and your chest should rise but your shoulders will stay in the same place. If your mouth is open, it would make the sound “ohhhh” as if you just heard some juicy gossip that took your breath away. 

6) Hold your breath and count to four. One, Two, Three, Four. 

7) Exhale. Your tummy will contract slightly, and your chest should fall. Your exhale needs to be longer than your inhale, that’s where the magic is. So count to 6. One, two…etc. 

8) When you have exhaled, ask yourself, “what do you need? How can I help you?” 

9) Your body may not speak up at first, but if she does, she’ll tell you. You’ll know it in your gut, or sometimes in your chest, what the right answer is. 

10) Say thank you. Your body has just given you a gift. This breathing is something you can return to whenever you feel like it. You don’t need any special circumstance to talk to your body. This is called a “heart practice.” 

Journal after breathing for added relief. 

I’ve included some journal prompts for you to reflect on your heart practice in case she has anything special to say to you today. 

Hello Self. How can I help you today? 

What do you need me to know today? 

What do you need from me today? 

Remember – SAY THANK YOU to yourself for showing up today. 

You are precious and you deserve this space.