Reflection Point – Space to breathe

Inhale; through your nose, exhale; through your mouth, my pilates teacher reminds
me. I need a lot of reminding. I forget to breathe as I concentrate on what is
required. Seems crazy, right? I stop doing what my body actually needs me to do
most in that moment.

Inhale, exhale.
Her words sit with me – feel the breath in your body.
The breath gives you space. I know this. But I value the reminder.

In the organisations I’m working with right now, the adrenaline levels are high.
Budget shortfalls, new budget forecasts, chasing new revenue sources, new service
offerings, staff grievances, tough decisions – gnarly problems requiring innovative
solutions.

I hear of no space in long days full of meetings and urgent, competing priorities. No
time to think. No time to breathe. No time to create new ways of thinking to
impossible problems requiring new, alternative solutions. To have creative space to
problem solve, analyse, plan, to create what’s possible in the seeming impossible.

Does this resonate? If it does, I encourage you to take this time now. Breathe. Yes,
breathe! Breathe in deeply, to slow down, to create space within you, space around
you to pause. Gift this to yourself.

Take a deep inhale, a deep exhale. I’m offering you the space. Stay here a few
moments if you can.

And when your breath slows, and more space is created, consider the below
questions.

Question 2

When are the moments in your week when you can take time out to really
breathe, to pause, to slow down your adrenals, relax, refresh?

Question 3

What do you notice about yourself as you slow down and breathe
intentionally?