Unlock the secret to stress-free living

I got a question the other day from a valued subscriber.

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I downloaded your guide for mindful practices, and while I really enjoyed the recommendations, I don’t like to exercise (yoga, really?) or walk. I dread meditating because I can’t keep my mind still for a second, and journaling is not my thing.

What other recommendations do you have for women like me?

Hopeless case or…?

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My answer?

Do you breathe?

No, seriously. It’s not a trick question.  

Breathing. Not just any breathing. Mindful breathing.

And I'm here to tell you, there's a secret weapon we all possess – so basic yet so powerful – it's easy to overlook...

As funny as it may sound, the first thing you have to learn about regaining control is to learn to breathe.

And that sounds so basic because when we’re born, we take our first breath and it becomes ... it’s a natural thing.

And if you try to stop breathing, you cannot.

When you take your last breath, that’s called death.

So from birth to death, you know, we just automatically breathe.

But most of us are walking around, not breathing properly.

I had no idea until I learned that the breath is so important because it is directly connected to our vagus nerve.

This is your internal reset button that's just waiting to be pressed.

With a simple breath, you can go from fight-or-flight to peace-and-quiet.

Sounds a bit "out there"? I thought so too.

But the science backs it up with something called polyvagal theory (a quick search will pull up the nerdy details).

So the vagus nerve sounds like Las Vegas, you know, whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

But THIS vagus is a nerve that’s called the wandering nerve, because it’s connected to your lungs, your heart, your gut, and many other visceral organs.

And when you take deep diaphragmatic breaths, you engage the vagus nerve.

That makes your nervous system slow down and you disengage the fight-or-flight mode.

In simple words, proper breathing reduces your stress big time.

The breathing goes like this.

● Inhale slowly through your nose...

● Hold that breath, and count to five...

● Now, release through your mouth, feeling tension melting away… 

● Wait five more seconds before your next inhale and start the process over again!

That's it. This isn't rocket science.

Your physiology is waiting to be harnessed. And it's a game-changer, especially for those of us in the over-40 club who are looking to find our zen.

If you still haven’t had a chance to download the free Mindfulness for Women Over 40 guide, here’s the link.

Let's start turning those everyday breaths into moments of pure power.

Can't wait to hear how this simple tweak changes your game.

Warmly

Vanja