Resets: Breath + Meditation
Have you ever felt stressed or anxious and been unsure of why? These feelings are a natural response by our nervous system to keep us safe. Our nervous system operates to protect us from harmful situations. Sometimes, it is overly protective, and makes us feel alarmed without cause. When we recognize feeling stressed or anxious we can resource with a reset.
A Reset is designed to help us respond differently to feeling stressed or anxious. And most importantly to get your nervous system working optimally to become more resilient. A reset can help tether us to those moments when we feel our best. When we feel our best, our system is well-regulated, and we’re able to operate from a place of clarity, compassion, and curiosity. A reset can be an exercise, an activity, or even just a reminder of those well-regulated moments. They provide an opportunity to become more aware of how we feel and the factors behind those feelings.
What keeps you feeling grounded? What helps you feel connected? Resets can vary from person to person, and once you’ve identified what resonates with you, you can utilize them to help reduce anxiety, stress, and feelings of fear. With these tools, we can navigate a stressful world in a meaningful way.
How can breathing help regulate your nervous system?
Because of numerous studies (like this one conducted by Ohio State University,) we know that regulating your breathing can also help you feel calm and quell anxiety. Numerous breathing apps and online resources have sprung up in recent years to teach people a multitude of breathing exercises. We’ve even added a few breathing exercises to our activities page! But why can breathing be such a powerful tool when we’re trying to feel safe? Breathing is one of the only functions of our Autonomic Nervous System that we can control.
Let’s play with the dance of your nervous system!
Breathwork can be a powerful tool to manage your emotional responses to stressful situations. We’ve gathered some resources below to help you get started in identifying what types of breathwork might resonate with you and your nervous system. Try them out below, and make note of what type of breathing makes your nervous system feel pleasure. Explore the videos below and remember that what feels pleasurable to one person may not feel pleasurable to another. Explore and identify what your nervous system finds pleasurable.