IMG1947-LSometimes don’t you just want things to be straightforward and simple?

I do.

My intention today, when I started writing this post was to share a breathing exercise because I wanted to share something with you that:

  1. was easy and simple to do
  2. would create some breathing space in your daily life
  3. help anchor you in your body
  4. would make you more present to the loveliness of life.

I attempted various approaches, here are a few examples:

“There could be a dozen reasons and more for why we feel stuck or why our “why” isn’t propelling us forward. The “why”I am speaking about is that clear sense of purpose or mission that drives us to take action, overcome any obstacles and makes us feel engaged in our lives with a sense of deep satisfaction…”

Not quite there yet.. It needed something more, so I added –

“Why am I doing this job? Why am I in this relationship? Why do I feel like a failure even though I am at the top of my game?”

At which point I went back to simplicity-

“Simply sit and breathe – find your sweet spot of…”

As you can see things started becoming more complicated than necessary. We all do that. That is, we all make life more fuss-filled, add more flavorings, create rituals and meaning and all the while drifting away from the simplicity of what we intend for ourselves.

It is my opinion that we intend for love and all that flourishes because of it.  It is that simple.

So, back to the breathing exercise, I want to share with you simply because I love you and because I want you to connect to the ease of being you in this lovely life. If you are encountering hardships or find yourself struggling to make sense of difficulties in your life, I encourage you to give this exercise a go. It will uplift you.

Before you sit down to do this exercise read through it a few times so you know what to do and when. It is super easy and delightful to do. Here we go.

Find a wonderful place to sit and close your eyes. As your awareness turns inwards say to yourself: “This time is for me to connect with myself, my light and my love. Each breath eases my ability to connect to my mind, heart, and soul.” (Or something close to this that resonates with you) You can say this out loud or within your mind. Repeat it a few times until you feel the essence of what you are saying. Make it real and make it count.

Continue to breathe and direct your mind towards ease and not struggle. Instead of wishing your mind would stop chattering, think how easy it is for your mind to chatter. If you experience discomfort in your body acknowledge how easy it is for you to recognize that discomfort.

With each breath, we want to communicate how easy it is for you to be where you are. As you continue to positively affirm each state you may notice that your mind begins to relax or quieten.

Once this begins to happen try the following positive prompts. Repeat each one several times to yourself:

  • “It is easy for me to be peaceful within myself.”
  • “It is easy for me to be here.”  
  •  “It is easy for me to connect to life.”

As you repeat the positive prompt give yourself time to feel the positive emotion that goes with the prompt. For example, if you say, “It is easy for me to be peaceful within myself” allow yourself to feel that peaceful energy. Do this with each of the positive prompts.

Continue this exercise until you feel you are ready to stop. It is easy to stop. Just open your eyes and look around. It is easy to look around and breathe at the same time. Allow yourself to connect to and relate to life through this new mindset; that it is easy for you.

Now your turn, was this exercise easy for you to do? What is easy for you to do? Often times,  I have heard my son say, “That’s easy for me mama. I can do that.” Think about something that is easy for you to do. What does it feel like to do something that is easy for you? I would love to hear your thoughts and stories on this subject.

And please do share this post with family, friends or colleagues as it may help them to connect to the ease in their lives.