Your Daily Brush: Tethering Wild Horses (Such as Fear, Concerns and Worries)
Your breath is a powerful anchor and ally in helping you tame worry, concerns and fears.
At times, our minds can behave like wild horses. By that I mean that our thoughts can race head on into fears, concerns, worries. Life, being what it is, presents us with situations that challenge our sense of calm.
So how to stop the runaway horse? How can you stay empowered and control the reins no matter what is going on around you?
The key is to pause, take a deep breath, and slowly exhale.
Each time you breathe in, you are activating the part of your nervous system called the sympathetic nervous system. This is what makes you go into fight or flight mode in response to threats.
Each time you exhale, you are activating your parasympathetic nervous system. This is what allows you to get in touch with your body’s innate capacity to feel calm.
Inhale intentionally, such that you are breathing from your belly. Take deep breaths. And each time you exhale, do so slowly with your out breath longer than your in breath.
Your breath is your constant companion. It is always there to help bring you back to the state of calm that is already within you.
Rx: To access your innate calm, and tether the wild horses of runaway emotions, breathe in deeply and fully and exhale slowly. Don’t be deceived by its simplicity. This is your first and most powerful step to take charge of, and slow down runaway thoughts and emotions. And the more you practice this, the better you will be at evoking calm within you.
By the way, this is what I teach people who are fearful of the dentist and people who are in stressful work situations; they tell me it works for them. Give this a try and you will see how this simple technique can also help you the next time you feel you are being dragged along by the wild horses of fear, worry and anxiety.
Please share this newsletter with your friends and family so they too can learn ways to brush their minds and take a proactive approach to promoting their emotional health. Thanks!