JUST BREATHE // About 5 1/2 years ago, I experienced deep anxiety like I’d never felt before. I constantly felt like I was about to drown, just barely keeping my mouth out of water. I lived in fear that I was doing something wrong all the time. I lost 20 pounds because I had no appetite. I constantly had clammy hands, or I’d breakout in an uncontrollable sweat. I usually called it Irrational Fear. When I stepped back to look at the situation or imaginary outcome that I was so afraid of it was easy to see that it made absolutely no sense, but I still couldn’t control the feeling of anxiety, and I would let those feelings control me.
Fast forward to today. I still deal with anxiety, but it’s less frequent and typically less extreme. I stopped calling it my anxiety, like it was part of my identity, and I went through a program at my church called School of Kingdom Ministry that reminded me of who I am in Christ Jesus. So powerful!
I’ve been reading a book called How to Do Work by Nicole LePera. This book isn’t a book to help you learn how to work better on the job, but how to work on yourself by recognizing your patterns and healing from your past. The section that has stuck with me is a breathing exercise. Here are the steps:
- Start on an empty stomach // Do this exercise either in the morning or at night.
- Sit or lay down // Find a place with no distractions, or as few as possible. It’s important to not be standing or driving while doing new breathing exercise in case it makes you dizzy.
- Inhale // Take a deep breath with your nose from the lowest part in your stomach. Breath as deep as you can go!
- Hold // When you can’t take in anymore air hold your breath for 2-3 seconds.
- Slowly exhale // Let the air exit your mouth without any force.
- Regular breath // Take one regular breath between each deep breath.
- Repeat 10x // Repeat this sequence 10 times, but for no longer than a minute starting out. When you get really good at it, the goal is to get up to five minutes.
A breathing exercise like this one has many benefits. It can help you be calm and more at peace. It increases lung capacity. Breathing exercises also help with stress tolerance. Going through anxiety, I have found that focusing on breathing can help take your mind off of the anxiety and on something you can control – your breath. Just today I was at the pool with my family. My 3 year old son is learning how to basically doggy paddle with a life jacket on. He’s still learning to get comfortable with holding his breath, so he panics immediately when he inhales some water. He starts flailing, and his eyes get huge as if he’s about to drown. My wife and I calmly tell him the exact same two words: Just Breathe. Once he focuses on his breath, he’s suddenly back in control and slowly paddling his way towards the ladder like nothing happened – this cute little puppy in a life jacket.
GETTING STARTED // This is a very simple one – just give the breathing exercise a try! I have found when I do it that I really can’t breathe very deep at all, but after I get 4 or 5 breaths in I can feel the difference.
YOU’RE NOT ALONE // If you are currently struggling with anxiety, know that you’re not alone. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. You have people that care about you and want to help. There’s a Bible verse that I’ve clung to through all my struggles with anxiety. It’s Colossians 3:2-3, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” There’s also a song that helped me called Breathe by Jonny Diaz.
TO MY BOYS // “I’m so proud of you. I’m thankful every day that I get to be your dad! You are the very best parts of me. You are dearly loved by your mom and me. Now go out there and do your best.” – Dad
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