📕 LivingOS Issue #109 - How are you breathing?
Are you breathing fast or slow? Are you breathing through your nose or mouth? Are you breathing from your chest or belly?
Hi friends, I’m Charlene Wang, author of Model Breakers and life coach for high achievers.
When was the last time you paid attention to your breath?
James Nestor wrote in the New York Times bestselling book Breath:
“The fastest way to build a better, stronger health foundation is to start a breathwork practice. It’s one of the fastest ways to reduce anxiety, stress, and the build up of feelings that can overwhelm and cause burn out.”
I first learned about breathwork through Matt D’Avella’s 30 day experiment and later through Tom Bilyeu’s interview with James Nestor. However, I struggled to find a breathing practice that sticks. They were either too inconvenient (meeting up in SoCal) or random (a bunch of YouTube videos).
Robbie, a seasoned entrepreneur and founder of Inward Breathwork, changed my mind. Aside from his accomplishment, I was impressed by his calming presence and got to learn about the following benefits from breathwork.
Research shows that breathwork can:
Shift the state of the nervous system to provide immediate relief from feelings of stress, anxiety and nervousness, to feel happier instantly.
Increase oxygen flow, leading to a boost in performance, productivity, mental focus and energy.
Make mindfulness more engaging and fun. If you struggled to stick with meditation, breathwork is a more accessible alternative.
There’s a tons of science-backed evidence showing the long-term benefits, but I was more interested in the immediate effects on my day-to-day. Here is my journal entries:
Day 1 My First Breathwork
I was impressed by the sound quality and music and secretly loved to practice on my daybed. Within a few minutes, I felt calmer and more focused. Tears streamed down my face. I felt relieved and ready for having an awesome day.
Day 2 Slo-Mo Breath
My breaths got deeper. I was able to breathe deeply through my noses and held my breath for way longer than before. My brain was no longer fixated on the worries in my mind. It felt so good to take a break from Model Breakers and my day job.
Day 3 Morning Practice
I love to end the breathwork with a journaling exercise. I came up with a lot of ideas, courage, and energy to do things that I had been procrastinating for days. I also added this practice to my early morning routine.
Day 4 Feel Good Now
This is a rather short breathwork but clearly sharpens my awareness. I love the final grounding exercise and feel ready to take on any challenges throughout the day.
Day 5 The Inward Method
I was quite surprised by the emotions that emerged through this practice. The most magical part is that I fully believe that I’m already the person I always want to be.
Since then, breathwork has become an invaluable part of my life.
A Special Gift 🎁
Robbie has kindly gifted LivingOS readers a special link to experience breathwork with beautiful music, a guided visualization, and live sessions on Sundays.
You can redeem this gift below:
Here’s my recommendation on how you can make the most out of the first three days:
Start your morning with the Morning Practice.
Release your emotions with The Guilt Release and The Inward Method.
Rewind your day with Nitric Oxide Boost.
Happy Breathing,
~Charlene