I started to type this as an Instagram caption, but I had so much to say and was like, why not share with the entire Daenne’s Journal Fam.
They say a picture is worth a million (thousand is not enough) words, and I couldn’t agree more. I started the caption like this "sometimes, you simply have to take time to pause and reflect." But, I erased that first line and put, "there comes a time where you have to pause and breathe." There is nothing wrong with taking time to reflect. I think it’s healthy to reflect. I just didn't need to reflect at that moment; I needed to breathe. Sometimes I confuse my need for "breathing" for reflection time. It only takes a few seconds to practice breathing. DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional at this, but can I ask you to take 15-30 seconds to practice this with me? Simply put your Device down and breathe in and breathe out. Do it a couple more times.
The truth is you were always breathing. You were breathing before you intentionally practiced breathing. Still, sometimes we are alive, and we forget that we are breathing because we do not pause. We just go go go and never take a break. Doing this exercise is a gentle reminder that you are alive and breathing. Let me tell you, I’m currently working on a thesis that is beating me down, I mean literally. I’m not one to complain about tasks I need to get done, but I find myself talking about this thesis day and night this time around. When I saw the cover picture, I said to myself, I need to pause and breathe for a second.
I know we live to work in America and not work to live, but this mindset can kill us if we do not take time to breathe. I don’t mean only breathing in the literal sense; I mean taking time off from the daily routine. I found myself finding excuses not to finish this thesis sometimes, so please entertain me in the comment box below and tell me how your breathing exercise went.
This is one of my shortest article ever. I just wanted to remind you to pause and breathe. Don't just do it today; practice this every day. Always take a moment for yourself. Not only do you need it, you deserve it. Also, promise to share this with someone that really needs to take 30 seconds to PAUSE and Breathe!
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Xoxo,
DD
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