Deep Breathing With God
We’ve all heard the expression just relax, take a deep breath — or when things have you really rattled, someone is bound is tell you to take a moment and breathe.
Life has a way of catching us all off guard. Sometimes with good things, sometimes with bad things – and sometimes with mind-blowing things that are neither good nor bad – just numbing.
Even I have to sometimes slap myself back into reality when things go south…like yesterday when absolutely nothing went right and things just went from bad to worse – I was worried and frustrated.
The next morning as I brewed my coffee, I took a step back and realized that while things were bad, they weren’t as bad as they seemed. There were possible solutions to the problems, and that would provide the light at the end of the tunnel. I just had to be patient and “work through it.”
I marched outside with coffee in hand (and nuts for the squirrels) and plopped myself down on my garden bench. It was a beautiful, sunny morning. Not wanting to have another horrible negative day, I firmly planted my feet on the ground and said “no way – not today.”
As the birds chirped around me, I sat there taking deep breaths. Yeah – it may sound cheesy to sit there and just breathe in and out — inhale, exhale – but it works! And it works even better when you realize you have a coach, an invisible partner right there by your side.
Find a quiet place in your home or outside to connect with God and some deep therapeutic breathing exercises. If you’re outside it’s especially wonderful to inhale the smell of the outdoors – the flowers, the trees and if you’re lucky, a calming stream. Inhaling the fresh outdoor air is a special feeling — a special connection between you, God and His natural beauty surrounding you.
But the good part about deep breathing with God, is you can do it anywhere at any time. Relax, take that deep breath – shove out the bad stuff — instead, focus on all your blessings. It can help you through tough times and help put a damper on stress. Even when things are going well, deep breathing with God is just one more way to keep yourself positive and focused.
Deep breathing has been recommended for years – it helps your body to keep your heart rate in check, your stress level down and helps you stay calm.
Adding God and thankfulness into a deep breathing regimen will give you an extra boost and an even healthier mental edge. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that God is always by our side, but He is – take a deep breath and be thankful.