I told you months ago about the book that really got me into practicing meditation, now a few times a week. The concepts outlined in Thich Nhat Hanh’s You Are Here have made me more mindful of who I am, where I am and what I bring to the world.
There is one strategy in particular that I took from the book that I want to share with you today. It is simply a phrase that – along with taking long, deep breaths – helps me re-center myself whenever I feel “off” or out of balance for some reason during the day. I memorized it, not just for memorization’s sake, but because I found that it works for me.
Breathing in, I know that I am breathing in.
Breathing out, I know that I am breathing out.
It is what I chant to myself as I inhale and exhale, not just during sitting or walking mediation, but also when I’m waiting in a long line at the grocery store or stuck in traffic or just waking up in the morning to an inbox full of emails and to-dos.
In this way, I remember to pay attention to my breath, no matter what is happening around me. I force myself to stop and acknowledge the fact that I am here.
Breathing.
Alive.
Sometimes, I modify the phrase.
Breathing in, I am here and I know that I am breathing in.
Breathing out, I am here and I know that I am breathing out.
Do you have a strategy or phrase that brings you back to center during the day? If you choose to try this one out for yourself, let me know how it works for you!
Rosetta Thurman is a nationally-recognized author, speaker, mentor and coach dedicated to helping women create their ideal lives.
Yes, I do. Whenever I return from an outing and have just entered my home, I take time to do 10 breaths, counting a full inhale and exhale as a breath. Once, finished, there is a big difference. Without the practice, I am antsy, looking for the next; the next fix, the next thing I “need” to do. I often crave food and believe I “need” to eat, when it is in fact just this antsy feeling that motivates me.
But, with the 10 breath practice, I am purposeful. crave and eat less. I just feel better and more inside of myself and content. I used to have a practice similar to this where I would just catch my breath throughout the day and remind myself to breath- often. I was in a better place with that practice and need to get back into it along with this new one.
I absolutely LOVE this book! It was one of a few life-changers for me. Drinking beautiful teas and sitting in silence centers me when I am feeling off-balance.
I do two things: #1 I either verbally say a prayer or write one out. It may seem a bit cliche but there is something to be said about emotionally and spiritually calling one something larger than myself to help me.
#2 I say this quote “”Worrying is using your imagination to create something you don’t want.” – Esther Hicks. For me it is never the situation that is bad, it is the worrying and the distress that comes as a result of it.
When I find myself being over whelmed, I stop and drink some water. It is reminding me that regardless of how hard I think it is, imagine how hard it would be to live without water. When I compare my problems to that hypothetical one, everything else seems minor to me.
What a great practice, Kalley. Thank you for sharing it with us. I imagine it not only re-centers you, but brings you into a spirit of gratitude as well.