“So what is the fastest way to achieve well-being? It is so close to you that it can easily be overlooked. Your breath.  A rapid and reliable pathway into your nervous system, dedicated to helping you regain your optimal state.”

- Emma Seppälä, Ph.D., The Happiness Track

Every time I start researching for my Sunday musings it seems the quotes that strike me the most have to do with breath.  I feel that life can get so overwhelming and bog us down that there should be a simple way to reset our nervous system.  And then yes, I find a quote that helps remind me it's actually what I've learned and used when I needed it most.

JUST BREATHE & STAY PRESENT

According to the research by Emma Seppala,  You are never happier than when you are in the present moment. Her research found that when you are more present, you are happier and more productive. When our minds wander (which is 50% of our day) and we begin thinking about the future, the emotions that are brought up can cause stress & anxiety.  The research shows that whether we are thinking about something fun like our next vacation or a difficult project, they can both cause anxiety as we are not staying in the present moment. 

All day long we are constantly being interrupted by ourselves and others.  The phone call, the ping that we got a text message or email, all of these small interupptions take us away from the present moment.  

I'm loving the new focus feature on my iPhone. When I teach on Zoom, I was getting popups from texts and pings from emails, all while I'm trying to tell you what your next move will be.  This seems like such a small distraction, but it always took me out of the present moment, which then caused me to forget what I was going to say (and yes, after 50 that's tough!) I was getting frustrated that I was interrupted. Now I can put the focus on my phone and take it off when I have free time to receive a call or text, which I love to receive!

Don't forget we need a bit of stress in our lives, it helps us as we run across the street, finish up a project, do something new or go to a job interview.  But what happens when we can't turn off the stress and achieve well-being?  We have difficulty sleeping, our immune system gets out of wack and we have even more stress and anxiety.  

Let's say YES to our mind and body to help it maintain an optimal state.
 
JUST BREATHE & STAY PRESENT.