Some days, life throws you for a loop, leaving you feeling distressed. Keep an open mind and try to stay positive. Next, focus on your breath and breathe into happiness and feel better!
“The real meditation practice is how we live our lives from moment to moment to moment.”
– Jon Kabat-Zinn
How To Breathe Into Happiness
First, stay present and know that your situation is temporary and will pass. Stay true to who you are and breathe into and think what makes you happy. Before you know it, you will feel better about starting another day.
The Tummy Technique
- Put one hand over your chest, touching your heart, and the other hand on your tummy.
- Take a deep, slow breath in through your nose, filling the diaphragm with the breath into your lungs.
- Close your eyes and imagine the colour blue mixing with your breath.
- Breathe it into happiness.
Note: Some thoughts can be distracting. Don’t worry; just let them go and return to your space breathing. Thoughts are like clouds drifting by. Let them continue when they come, and continue focusing on your breath. You will feel a lot better!
Example of The Tummy Technique
Let’s say you’re having a stressful day at work. You decide to take a break and find a quiet corner to sit in. Gently place one hand on your chest and the other on your tummy. Close your eyes and visualize the colour blue blending with your breath. If it’s hard to picture the colour blue, think of a place where it exists, like looking up at the serene blue sky. As you breathe in deeply through your nose, envision the calm blue of a clear sky. Let your stress drift away like clouds, focusing on the soothing blue sky in your mind. After a few minutes, you’ll feel calmer and more centred, ready to face the rest of your day.
The Ideal Space Technique
- Close your eyes and imagine that you are in your favourite place.
- Sit there for a minute, breathe naturally, and enjoy the feeling of being in your desired spot.
- Organize your space in your mind to suit you perfectly.
- Notice how you are feeling, breathing, and relaxed. This is your favourite place to be, and you are happy.
- You can stay there for as long as you want. Examples could be the beach or a cozy corner of your home.
Example of The Ideal Space Technique
Suppose you feel overwhelmed by household responsibilities. Stop where you are, close your eyes, and picture yourself on a serene beach. Hear the waves, feel the warm sand, and smell the lovely air. Spend a few minutes in this mental paradise, breathing naturally and letting your worries fade away. When you open your eyes, you’ll feel more relaxed and ready to face your tasks.
Additional Tips for Staying Positive
Stay Away From Toxic People
It is the worst to be presented every day with awful people who put you down and belittle you. If you can’t leave immediately, make a 6-month plan to get you closer to a goal to stay away. Even small steps help in a big way when you have a plan.
Be Mindful of Your Thoughts
Please be careful about what you think. When things aren’t going well, your thoughts can be quite negative. Sometimes, it is hard to stay completely positive, so be aware of your thoughts.
- Make a list of uplifting phrases to refer to when you are feeling unhappy. This helps.
- Reflect on what you were thinking a moment ago. Were they positive thoughts or damaging thoughts? What are your emotions and feelings behind the thoughts?
- If you were thinking pleasant thoughts, then wonderful! Sooner or later, correcting your mindset to think pleasant thoughts will become your norm.
- If they are disempowering, practice being mindful. Do the breathing exercise for only a minute to get yourself back to center. Once you are feeling neutral, correct yourself to better thoughts; they empower you to feel better.
Always remember: When you are feeling stressed or down, breathe into happiness, and you will feel better.
Combating Overwhelm and Stress
Are you feeling overwhelmed and stressed? Before getting too upset, try breathing. A few good deep breaths will do the trick. Focusing on our breath helps us calm down and recenter ourselves. In addition to simply breathing, there are other activities that you can do to help increase your happiness levels.
Taking deep breaths is a simple yet effective way to manage stress and regain a sense of calm. It’s amazing how something as basic as breathing can have such a powerful impact on our well-being. And you’re right. We can incorporate plenty of other activities into our daily routines to boost happiness levels, whether it’s spending time outdoors, practicing gratitude, or engaging in hobbies we enjoy.
Using an Intention Calendar
An Intention Calendar can help you focus on different ways to set new intentions each month and bring more joy into your life. What have you tried so far this year to increase your happiness?
If you feel a little lost and need some guidance, working with an Intention Calendar will help you focus on what you want in your life. Set a new intention each month and bring more joy into your life. What have you tried so far this year to increase your happiness?