Anchor Your Breath in the Holiday Frenzy

Hello, and welcome to Mindful Moments. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you've carved out this time for yourself today. You know, mid-December can feel like you're running a marathon while someone's constantly handing you more things to carry. The holidays are ramping up, your to-do list is probably longer than your arm, and somewhere between the shopping and the planning and the everything else, you might be feeling a little stretched thin. So today, we're going to do something simple but genuinely grounding. We're going to practice what I call the Anchor Breath, and it's going to take about five minutes. That's it. You deserve that.

Go ahead and get comfortable wherever you are right now. You don't need to sit in any fancy position. Just find a place where your spine feels naturally tall and your shoulders can relax away from your ears. When you're ready, just gently close your eyes or soften your gaze downward. There's no right way to do this.

Now, take a moment to notice what you're feeling in your body without trying to change anything. You might feel tension, restlessness, calm, fatigue. Whatever's there is perfectly okay. We're not here to fix anything. We're just noticing.

Let's begin with a simple awareness of your breath. Start breathing in through your nose for a count of four. Feel the cool air entering, almost like a gentle breeze coming through a window. Hold that breath for a count of four, noticing the pause, the stillness. Then exhale through your mouth for a count of six, like you're slowly releasing a long, warm sigh. That longer exhale is where the magic happens. It signals your nervous system that you're safe, that it's okay to relax.

Let's do this together five more times. In for four, hold for four, out for six. Breathing in calm, breathing out the weight you've been carrying. In for four, hold for four, out for six. Notice how your shoulders feel. How your jaw is softening. In for four, hold for four, out for six. You're doing beautifully. Keep going at your own pace now, maintaining that same rhythm, but without counting. Just let your breath find its own way.

As you breathe, imagine each exhale is releasing something you don't need to hold onto right now. A worry, a rushed thought, a moment of tension. With each exhale, you're making space for something kinder to settle in.

When you're ready, gradually return to your regular breathing and slowly open your eyes. You just gifted yourself a moment of genuine calm, and that matters.

As you move through the rest of your day, you can return to this four, four, six breathing whenever you need an anchor. At a stoplight, before a meeting, waiting in line. You've got this.

Thank you so much for joining me on Mindful Moments. Please subscribe wherever you're listening so these practices are always with you. Until next time, breathe well.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI