Breathing Techniques for Stress and Performance

Did you know taking a deep breath is often the first thing we forget to do when experiencing stress? Breathing is a quick way to help regulate your emotions. A simple breathing exercise everyone in the family can use is Rainbow Breathing. 🌈 To try it out, close your eyes (if you are comfortable) and imagine a rainbow. 🌈 As you inhale, visualize the colors of the rainbow in order, starting with the color red. 🌈 As you exhale, envision releasing the color red and moving on to the next color, which is orange. 🌈 Keep breathing slowly and deeply, moving through each color of the rainbow with each breath. 🌈 With every inhale, take in a new color, and with every exhale, let go of the previous one. 🌈 As you breathe through the entire rainbow, start to feel a sense of calm and relaxation washing over you. 🌈 Repeat this process as needed, and notice how you feel afterward. Rainbow Breathing can be done anywhere, anytime, and it's a fantastic tool for both calming down when upset and staying focused during busy days. Remember, taking a few deep breaths can make all the difference in managing your stress levels. #breathingexercises #emotionalregulation #parentingsupport #mamamindy

Stop your heavy breathing….wait, no, don’t. I have five primary presentations I deliver as a keynoter. 🎤 Without giving you all the detailed titles, the subject matter covers burnout and resilience, energy optimization, boundaries, confidence, and sustainable well-being. Recently, I was asked to put together a different talk. One encompassing one of the most impactful free well-being assets we own. BREATH 💨 In this new presentation, we follow “Luca,” a busy finance professional, through her hectic, nutty day. First, we observe her launch into the morning, her stressful first presentation to a new team, her afternoon caffeine-demanding slump, her segway from financier to soccer mom, and finally, her collapse into bed at the end of an insane day. Then, with the audience’s help, we begin again at the start of Luca’s day. This time, we help Luca use specific breathwork to navigate the most stressful parts. 🔥 We teach her about “Cyclic Sighing” upon waking, “Lion’s Breath” before the big meeting, “Alternate Nostril Breathing” for the afternoon slump, “Breath of Fire” for her transition back to mom, and finally, “4-7-8” for calming the mind at night. Because we paint a detailed story of our character Luca, the five breath techniques are simple to remember by just recalling Luca's day! The audience is engaged throughout the presentation, learning and practicing these breath techniques in real time. They depart the presentation, adding five new tools to their well-being toolkit. ✨ Let's equip your team with implementable well-being strategy tools - message me for details. “Luca” and I are happy to show up to delight and oxygenate even the most stressed-out audience. #breathwork #wellbeing #speakerforhire #keynotepresentation

How I help my clients reduce their stress response in less than 2 minutes. Fear is Natural Paralyzing Exhilarating Impetus for action Sometimes accurate Sometimes inaccurate An opportunity to be brave A signal about our surroundings Fear Can Lead to resentment Crush us with anxiety Push us towards growth Cause us to retreat inward Steer us down the wrong path Bring about our best performance There are lots of different kinds of fear. Our brains and our bodies don’t always know the difference. Ever used a virtual reality headset? You can know that you are literally in your own living room. Know that you are wearing a piece of technology. But still FEEL terrified the zombies will get you or you’re about to fall off a cliff. The same is true with work stress. Our brains and bodies can interpret a work mistake as life/job threatening. 99% of the time it's not life threatening. Our evolutionary brains are playing catch-up. Our ancient ancestors survived based on their fear response. For the majority time, humans have been on the low end of the food chain. The rustle in the bushes could be a rabbit or saber-tooth cat. It’s better for survival to assume the worst. What helped us 100,000 years ago is hampering us today. One way to help slow things down is to get better at breathing. Fear activates the sympathetic nervous system. Heart rates jump, blood pressure and breathing increase. We have to consciously activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This will slow our breath and blood flow will divert back to our vital organs. 2 Breathing Methods to Return to Baseline: 1. Physiological Sigh ➡️ Take one deep breath through your nose. ➡️ Fill your belly and your lungs nearly to capacity. ➡️ Then top it off with a quick ‘sip’ of air, again through your nose. ➡️ Let it all out suddenly through the mouth. 2. Box Breathing or 4x4 Breathing ➡️ Breathe in slowly through your nose, counting to 4. ➡️ Hold your breath, counting to 4.  ➡️ Slowly breathe out through your mouth, counting to 4. ➡️ Hold your breath with empty lungs, counting to 4. ➡️ Repeat as necessary until feeling more calm. Anyone tried these before? Let me know in the comments! ⬳ Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this, please repost ♻️ and follow me for more ideas like this in the future.

March 15th of 2016, I was woken up at 4 am by an intense pain in my stomach. Attempting to start my day, I found myself staggering downstairs, only to be overwhelmed by nausea. It was a wake-up call, signaling that something was seriously wrong. This episode led me to a diagnosis that many hard driving professionals are familiar with: chronic stress and burnout, the silent toll of juggling multiple roles. At the time, I was navigating between 3.5 roles 1) being the Director of Business Development at a technology company 2) being an Executive MBA student at USC Marshall 3) being a new father 3.5) enduring a grueling three-hour daily commute from Pasadena to Santa Monica daily This pivotal moment marked the beginning of my deep dive into mindfulness. Until then I have studied various philosophy but never practiced. It’s a journey that transformed not just my personal well-being but also my professional performance. Through studying of classics like “Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind,” immersing myself in multiple meditation retreats, absorbing countless content, and meeting with PhDs, I crafted a suite of mindfulness practices that became my cornerstone for not only managing stress but the source of high performance achievement - hit 120% of my sales goal that year 🛠️It’s became a secret weapon. A very useful tool. Here are some practical steps I've integrated into my life, which I believe can profoundly impact anyone's professional journey: 🧠Mindfulness Practices for High Performance Establish a Daily Practice: Each morning, I dedicate time for box breathing exercise (adopted by Navy Seals) This simple act of returning my focus to my breath whenever my mind wanders has sharpened my focus, improved my emotional regulation, and cultivated a powerful presence in all aspects of my life. Mindful Moments: Wove mindfulness into the fabric of my daily activities. I have blocked off time on my calendar in between back to back meetings. These brief moments for mindful activities between tasks have become a forcing function to reset and recenter. They enhance my engagement and efficiency with each task at hand. Mindful Listening: In every meeting and conversation, I practice fully focusing on the speaker, absorbing not just their words but also their non-verbal cues, without crafting my response in my head. This approach has not only deepened relationships but also ensured that I fully comprehend the nuances of each interaction. My journey underscores that peak performance transcends technical prowess; it's equally about nurturing mental resilience, embracing mindfulness, and fostering a profound connection with our personal value. In the high-stakes realms of management and revenue functions, where success is often quantified by outcomes, goals, and quotas, mindful approach offers a sustainable and fulfilling path to what we do. Helpful material in comment 👇🏼 #selfdevelopment #mentalhealth #mentalperformance #leadership

Mid-week stress got you down? Try this: Drop your shoulders. Take a deep breath in. Hold. Take a deep breath out. Repeat a few times for a moment of calm. ✨ Sometimes taking intentional breaths is challenging. That's the inspiration behind these meditation animations. Closing your eyes may not be enough. But a visual cue might just do the trick. Exploring the intersection of mental health and art lead me to share these with my community members like Katie, who used this meditation animation to help her mom during a moment of anxiety. I was humbled to read this comment. 😭 Share this post with someone who might need a moment of calm today. #CreatorEconomy #Mindfulness #Watercolor #Animation #meditation #MentalHealth #CorporateWellbeing #CorporateWellness #creativity Video description: An orange watercolor clementine expands and contracts with a timer below. Breathe for 4 counts. Hold for 7 counts. Exhale for 8 counts. Below the video is a screenshot that reads: "I just used this with mom who was having an anxiety attack it worked beautifully."

I can see her there now, that 20 something version of myself attempting to validate my existence by taking care of everyone else while ignoring all of the signs and symptoms my body was attempting to show me. I was trying so hard to please a client that I literally gave myself a fever. Has this ever happened to you as an #eventprof, #meetingplanner, or #eventplanner in the #hospitalityindustry? Have you ever experienced anxious tendencies combined with states of pure overwhelm, worry and exhaustion? I know I sure have, to the point of being bed ridden and literally making myself so sick during a work trip in Mexico of all places. There I was, in paradise, doing the job that I absolutely love, burning the candle at both ends and fully embodying the unhealthy traits of “people pleasing.” 20 hour days in paradise, but with very little food, sleep or water, topped off with an abundance of wine and a mind that felt like 40 browser tabs were open and stuck on the wait symbol. Eventually (and always) the body will take over and win the battle, forcing us to slow down and tune in to the deeper messages and meanings within. I got sick of feeling this way and knew there had to be a better way to handle the demands of a stressful yet FUN role we know as being an #eventprof Fast forward to today, and this elevated version of myself has become aware by routinely practicing regulating my nervous system. If you’re needing a simple and powerful reset and want to get back to a place of calmness, peace and clarity, I invite you to watch the full video and add the 4-7-8 breathing technique into your #eventprof toolkit! Would love to hear how you FEEL after giving yourself 90 seconds to reset your nervous system. If it’s your first time practicing this technique, I recommend doing so while lying down before bed. Hope you enjoy this simple and FREE medicine that resides within you!

Long before you experience the emotional symptoms of burnout, depression, and anxiety, the physical signs manifest. That’s because your physiology actually drives your emotional responses. For example, when your heart races and breathing quickens, your brain gets the signal that something is wrong, which leads to anxious thoughts. To combat the physical stress: ✳️ Consciously make an effort to relax your jaw by putting your tongue on the roof of your mouth. ✳️ Visualize a calming place with all 5 senses if you’re having sensory overload. ✳️ Build in days for both emotional and physical rest so your body can recover. ✳️ Focus on 4-7-8 breathing as this will slow down your heart rate. ✳️ Put your shoulders down and back to relieve tension and stress. Remember, calm body equals calm mind. Find ways to relax your body to improve your mental health. Share this with others who can benefit 🙏🏼

Mindful Stress Strategies for Busy Season Busy season is upon us, Endless numbers, looming deadlines. Yet, in this chaos, Clarity becomes our beacon. Simple Strategies to help bust stress Morning Ritual: Start with purpose, Five minutes of meditation or deep breaths, To center your spirit before the storm. Breath Reset: When stress peaks, Invoke Andrew Huberman's wisdom: Inhale twice, exhale long – Fill lungs fully on first Inhale Sharp Inhale on 2nd, deep exhale A physiological sigh to dissolve anxiety. Intentional Pauses: Work is a marathon, not a sprint. Every hour and a half, a brief respite, To rejuvenate, not just rest. Lunch with Awareness: Leave your desk, disconnect from digits. Engage with your meal, Taste, savor, and cherish. Singular Focus: One task, one victory. Ditch the myth of multitasking, For the truth of total focus. Evening Reflection: As the day concludes, Acknowledge the wins, And gently set tomorrow’s course. These simple threads, Woven into your day, Transform stress into strength, And chaos into calm. In this season of figures, Remember: balance, focus, gratitude – Your greatest allies. #CPA #accounting #busyseason #MentalClarity #HubermanTechnique