Take a moment and think about a simple fact about what you are doing right now: you are breathing.

Without thought or attention. Without effort or focus. You are breathing.

This is because breathing is a part of the body’s autonomic nervous system that does not require your attention or focus. It is automatic.

What’s interesting about breathing, as opposed to other bodily functions, like say how your kidneys or liver function, is that you can regulate it – you can focus attention using abilities you have as a human being to control your breathing.

Expectations:

• Learn the NYCID Breathing Method
• Learn Progressive Body Relaxation
• Learn how to Journal

Your Human Endowments are what make us unique among all the other species on the planet. You use each of these abilities to do some pretty incredible stuff. For example, we were not born with wings and we used our imagination to build air balloons, then airplanes, and spaceships. We use our will power to complete tasks. We use our consciousness to understand right and wrong. And we use our self-awareness to understand our emotions.

Three Simple Steps:

1. Inhale fully in and expand belly muscles – 3 to 5 seconds to fill the diaphragm

2. Exhale out and release and relax belly – Don’t force the air out.

3. Chose the most comfortable nose/ mouth pattern.

Always Journaling

Take a few minutes with some pen and paper and get out of your head for a few minutes.

Describe how you were feeling or as we say, “What was moving in you” as you were breathing?

You do not have to be a writer to journal. The goal of our journaling process is to get you out of your head. You know that place where you don’t stop thinking? Getting thoughts on to paper is a way to remember how you are feeling, remember events or things people said, to set goals, and to coach yourself through life.

Journaling doesn’t have to be a narrative. It can be drawings, maps, words on page. The most important thing is that they are not just thoughts.

Quick tips:

• When your do not know what to write – start with the phrase, “I do not know what to write today because…”
• Try to use one emotion your are feeling in the moment.
• Try to describe a situation that recently occurred, a video you watched, a new song.

It won’t be long until you are actually writing fresh thoughts in the moment.

Download Pro-Action Plan – Beyond Breathing

These three core activities can be used together or as one activity to help you focus on yourself in a positive way. These activities can help you get ready for your day as it begins or to help your relax before bed. They can help you focus on what you can control when your are feeling anxious, lost, or sad. They can help to hone happiness, and increase your mental awareness.

Here is a complete reminder of how to do your breath and body check.