The Power of Presence
More and more these days, people are telling me they’re feeling stressed and anxious – triggered by ‘little things’ that didn’t used to bother them.
Some are losing their cool more quickly. Some getting distracted more easily. Many being caught in their heads thinking, ruminating, catastrophizing. Unable to really pay attention to what’s going on, to the people they’re with, to the task at hand and they’re getting worried about it.
Long term unrelenting stress does this to us – it affects our nervous systems and our ability to regulate and come back to a healthy baseline. Our windows of tolerance shrink and we more easily get into fight/flight mode and we stay there longer, which just makes everything harder.
If you want a bit more presence, calm and clarity, try the simple self-regulation techniques in this mini-guide when you need some help coming back to yourself so you can deal with the moment more effectively.
If you want more presence, calm and clarity – develop a practice and do it daily even when you’re not feeling nervous, scattered, unsettled or worried. Such practices are restorative and cumulative.
I hope these help you.
If you already have a practice, let me know in the comments below what really works for you.
Become Aware of Your Breathing
Simply Notice & Don’t Force Anything
- Just breathe and become more aware of your breathing. It will naturally slow down and get fuller and deeper.
Connecting to your breath and your awareness is all you have to do. Spend 1-2 minutes here. There’s nothing else you need to do.
Double-Inhale, Long Exhale
Known as the Double Sigh or Physiological Sigh
- One long inhale through the nose
- One short inhale on top of that
- One long extended exhale through the mouth
Just one or two rounds will do to reduce anxiety and stress levels just enough to help you feel more calm and collected.
Notice 5 Things
Breathing gently… notice and name:
- 5 things you can SEE
- 5 things you can HEAR
- 5 things you can TOUCH/FEEL
Then spend a minute breathing calmly, while seeing, hearing and feeling all at the same time, to truly get in touch with your body and the space around you, in the present moment.
Heart-Centered Breathing
Focus your attention on your heart as you breathe
- Inhale gently for 5 seconds
- Exhale gently for 5 seconds
- Keep your heart in mind
- Repeat cycle for 2-3 minutes (approximately 12-18 rounds)
Rhythmic, heart-centered breathing brings the heart, brain and nervous system into greater coherence, which is a marker of optimal functioning and builds resilience. See The Heart of Resilience and Why Heart Matters.
Generate a Loving Vibe
Recall and reexperience times you felt loved or loving
- Conjure up feelings like care, calm, compassion, gratitude, closeness, playfulness or wholeness.
Combine this with Heart-Centered Breathing to amplify your coherence and become a positive, regenerative presence for yourself and all living things around you.
I hope these make a big difference for you. If they do, please pass them on to someone you care about.Download this as a Mini-Guide and share it with others.
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