Monday Morning Reset: The Settling Tide Breath

Welcome back to Mindful Moments. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here. You know, it's Monday morning, and I'm guessing you might be feeling that familiar flutter in your chest—that sense that there's already too much on your plate before you've even had your coffee. So let's take the next few minutes together and give your nervous system exactly what it needs: a reset button.

Find yourself in a comfortable seat, somewhere you won't be interrupted. That could be your couch, a chair by a window, or even your car before work. I'm not picky, and neither is your body. What matters is that you're here.

Let's start by simply noticing your breath. You don't need to change it yet. Just observe it like you're watching clouds drift across a sky. Inhale through your nose... and exhale through your mouth. There's no perfect way to do this. Your breath is already exactly right.

Now, let's try what I call the Settling Tide breath. This is my favorite for those mornings when your mind feels like a browser with fifty tabs open. Here's how it works. Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four, imagining you're filling a cup with warm water. Hold that breath gently for a count of four—no tension, just a soft pause. Then exhale through your mouth for a count of six, like you're slowly releasing that water back into the ocean. The longer exhale is key here. It signals to your body that you're safe.

Let's do this together. Breathe in... two, three, four. Hold... two, three, four. And release... two, three, four, five, six. Notice how your shoulders drop a little. Feel that? That's your parasympathetic nervous system saying thank you. Let's do that four more times at your own pace. Whenever you're ready.

In... hold... and release. Beautiful.

And again. This time, as you exhale, imagine releasing one worry with each breath. Just let it float away.

One more. And as you finish this last breath, notice something in your body that feels a little lighter than when we started.

As you move through your day, come back to this Settling Tide breath whenever you need it. You don't need ten minutes. Even one conscious breath is a gift you give yourself. You're rewiring your nervous system, one exhale at a time.

Thank you so much for joining me on Mindful Moments: Daily Breathing Exercises for Relaxation. I really hope this landed for you today. Please subscribe so you don't miss tomorrow's practice. Your future self will thank you. Take gentle care.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

This episode includes AI-generated content.