You Are in Command: Training Your Attention with 3 Simple Presence Exercises

We all get on autopilot very often, regardless of how well trained we are in self awareness, however, we can catch ourselves.
The more you practice the better.

There are some signs that show you when your mind is elsewhere.
Have you ever washed the dishes in a rush? were your muscles all tense?
Were you walking somewhere and noticed yourself walking fast and stiff without even having a time constraint?
Those are a few of the universal symptoms of being human.

It's ok to feel stressed, everyone is constantly experiencing these things, especially those in survival mode who have to be on the run all the time. I get it. These exercises may not ease your load but they will help you cope with your situation.

Disclaimer: You are the sole responsible party of doing these exercises that will benefit you in the short- and long-run. I've personally tried them and they help me to feel slightly better, however, it is up to you to implement these daily in your life. If you don't take action in your life nothing will change. This is not medical or legal advice, please consult with the appropriate professional to help you with your specific situation.

The following exercises will show you breath exercises that you can use in any situation. The names I gave them are from my personal experience in different situations and how these breaths have helped me cope. Feel free to use them for any situation and modify them to your liking.

The Adrenaline Breath
Have you ever gotten so angry that you feel a deep tension in your solar plexus? as if someone may be pushing you back? or have you felt the actual rush of adrenaline in your body? like heat going through you?

I experienced this so many times, especially at work. So you have an idea, this was my process:

There was a problem-> client wanted to be heard -> I found out more details -> got a plan of action from the ones in charge -> executed the plan of action -> maintained the utmost professionalism -> problem solved -> bosses still unsatisfied -> reprimand -> adrenaline rush within

Here is where the adrenaline breath jumps in:

Breathe out fast through your mouth using your diaphragm, as if you were pushing to give birth. Do however many breaths you need to take to feel back in balance.

This breath has helped me release unwanted tension, that kind of tension that builds up throughout the day and keeps your mind racing.

The Breath Analyzer
Have you paid attention to your breathing? actually stopped and paid attention ?

You are going to analyze your breath for one minute.

Not change it.

Not breathe deeply (unless you feel called to do so).

Just stop what you are doing and analyze your breath.

Are you breathing fast? Are you breathing slow? is there a strange pattern? did it start out fast and become slower?

This brings you back to your present moment.
Ask yourself: why am I breathing this way? what just happened that caused me to feel this way? how could I come back to balance? was it something someone said or did?

Ah! The power of presence.

When you get to the root cause of your reactions, you understand yourself better and get a clear idea for next time. Rest assured that if you do this often, you will get a greater sense of alignment with your thoughts and experience greater peace and compassion with yourself.

The Deep Breath
Someone is talking to you, you might feel frustrated, stressed, annoyed, but they ask you a question and you need to respond...

STOP!

It's hammer time..

Just kidding!

Stop and breathe very deeply.

As deep as you can.

Breathe in as much as your body can handle.

Don't worry if the pause is "awkward", it's only awkward if you make it awkward.

Once you've breathed deeply and came back to balance, you may respond.

What does this breath do?
It helps your mind collect the millions of thoughts going on in your subconscious mind. Almost like a command for your thoughts to get in line because something important is about to happen and requires your full attention. This breath also helps you gather your conscious thoughts to truly assess if what is about to come out of your mouth is worth saying, if it's necessary, and if it will make a difference in the situation.

May this serve as a tool for the betterment of humanity.

As always I speak from experience, may this help someone.

Also follow me on social media for more exercises and anecdotes:
Instagram @viennasicard @workshopsforhumanity
Youtube: Multifaceted Muse