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Reminder: You HAVE Time
- Derek Arsenault (CSEP-CPT, PN1)
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
That's right - roll your eyes. I'm sure in your head you're saying "Ugh! Here he goes again! But I REALLY don't have time". And to that I say...
You REALLY do.
It's that story-telling mind of ours at work. It's giving you all the reasons you "DON'T" have time, because it's out of practice at CHOOSING to MAKE time. Here's something SO EASY that ABSOLUTELY ANYONE can do, regardless of age or ability. Yet chances are MOST of you reading this won't do it past maybe one time. WHY? Because you're out of practice of choosing YOURSELF and your HEALTH.
Remember...
There is ZERO reason you "can't" do this. ZERO.
It takes ONE MINUTE, TOPS.
You carry this TOOL and ABILITY with you 24/7.
Also remember...
You can CHOOSE to NOT do this.
You can CHOOSE to give it a shot.
You can CHOOSE to ignore this post entirely from here.
These are your choices.
You CAN'T say you have "no time" for YOURSELF and your HEALTH because you CHOSE not to take a QUICK and DO-ABLE option like this.
The TOOL at our disposal 24/7
The breath. No wait! Hear me out. If you've read / heard this a million times, but never gave it an effort (either at all or only a couple times), then you really can't say "it doesn't do anything". Irregardless of your understanding (or even care) about mindfulness practices and the benefits of breathwork, here's a fact you CAN'T deny;
Taking time to focus on your breathing, even just for a very short amount of time...
🤗 ...Is building the habit of taking time for YOUR HEALTH
🤗 ...Is building your toolbox in understanding the signs your physiology gives you when it's saying, "I need a break"
🤗... Is creating a means, through habit, of building MORE healthy habits on top of this little one
🤗... Is creating the awareness of just how little time a minute or so really is, which helps you fit in your habit even when you're busy
Sprinkle this little exercise throughout your day. No matter how busy, we ALL have time to CHOOSE to do this.
Push yourself back from your desk and/or sit comfortably in a chair, on the floor or feel free to lie down. Just be comfortable.
Turn any notification sounds off. It'll just be a minute (if that).
Close your eyes if you'd like or leave them open.
Put one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest. Or simply rest your hands comfortably in your lap. (see how we can make this about OURSELVES already? 😉)
Comfortably inhale through the nose, breathing into the belly (expanding the belly in all diretions). Don't force the breath, just a comfortable inhalation.
Exhale comfortably through the mouth. Don't force the breath, just a comfortable exhalation.
Do this for a given round of breaths.*
*Start EASY. If you don't do this - I recommend 3 rounds of breath. Yes, that's it! Try to do it a few times throughout the day (especially when things get busy). If you are good, aim for 10 breaths. Sure you COULD do more if you want, but remember if you don't practice this regularly, there's no rush. Stick with 10 rounds for now. (This will take you about a minute or so).
Now go back to what you were doing.
Anywhere, Anytime
This time of year (December) when things get hectic, our breath is a tool that can positively impact our nervous system, allowing us to utilize the breath the CALM and SLOW DOWN.
Do this at work every 45-60min
Do this at home after cleaning the house and wrapping gifts for a while
Do this in line at the store while the hustle and bustle is all around you and you may lose your #$%^
Do this in the car while driving from A to B (please leave your eyes open if so 😉)
Do this when your kids have had too much chocolate and are all over the place
Do this with your morning coffee to start your day
Do this before bed to signal to your body it's time to rest
I shared a post "back in the day" in 2021 about an app called OMM (One Moment Meditation). Though I believe it may/may not be updated for newer phones? It's a simple 1-minute timer with a fun little cartoon guy that makes me smile.
Right now, in December when things are busy, this is my morning meditation. 6-7 days per week, I do my OMM. If it's a morning where I'm feeling a bit heavy eyed, I'll keep my eyes open. If I'm feeling rested, I'll close them. I do this right after pouring my morning glass of water and after starting the coffee maker (if I'm not in the studio for 6am). My chess and morning reading comes AFTER my OMM. It's 1 minute of my time.
It sets my mind on a track to do this as my day unfolds. I know, even when I'm busy or feeling a bit rushed - it's ONE minute.
If you'd like to chat more about how you can incorporate habits like this into your days or you'd like to dive deeper into mindfulness and/or mindfulness meditation, connect with 'Coach D' and let's get you started.
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