By Damien Rider
By this point, you have learned that the articles and lessons in these blog’s are becoming your life coaching sessions on the go. The same way you can get a takeaway coffee, lunch or have to get to the office, this technique is your takeaway practice.
Sometimes though, we have resistance to doing things that are good for us. When the proverbial shit hits the fan, we often default to self-criticism, panic, anxiety, or anger… but now we are rewiring and reprocessing our thoughts and emotions, that’s beginning to change.
To fully allow your subconscious to believe in your ability, to do this when you’re facing difficulties, I want to share this lesson to you in the form of a true story, with the permission from one of my clients, students and advocates.
Elizabeth’s Journey
Elizabeth is a high-performing professional entrepreneur and travels the world working with companies, brands, and events on their marketing and promotions. She has lived life on the go for decades and prior to our coaching session, was brand new to meditation, and didn’t think it was possible for her. She felt impatient, intimidated and that there was something wrong with her for not being able to sit with no thoughts.
In February 2019, she was diagnosed with acute endometriosis– an illness that can take doctors years to diagnose, but is becoming more common with women, and is said to be as painful as childbirth. On top of the excruciating physical pain, Elizabeth was also facing the emotional disappointment and frustration of not feeling like herself or looking like herself due to the growing tumors throughout her abdominal region.
She had 14 lbs. of fibroid tumors removed in an intense surgery that lasted 8 hours.
After undergoing such an intense procedure, she couldn’t simply jump back to the activities that used to help her thrive- – for a while, there would be no more weightlifting, jogging, or cardio exercises– but she had to get some kind of safe movement so that she could avoid blood clots.
During this time, she began a gentle yoga practice with seated postures, as well as the One Breath Meditation method I created. She says, “traditional meditation never worked for me. I somehow found it to cause me more anxiety. Instead of relaxing my mind, it caused mine to go into overdrive and wonder if I was doing anything correctly. I thought I was the only person who felt that way until I was introduced to Damien.”
As she gradually got the green light to increase her exercises and begin getting out more again, she was also able to continue to grow in her meditation practice. It wasn’t easy for her to take the time and pace she needed to recover since she was used to a high-performing lifestyle, but she also says, “These lessons took away those little negative voices that we sometimes have telling us that things are too hard, or we should give up. Focusing on my mental health first gave me the motivation to set small physical goals for myself. Starting my workout with One Breath Meditation has allowed me to get in the right headspace to keep moving forward and push myself a little more each day.”
Even today, Elizabeth still uses these techniques daily, whether she’s jet setting off to help a client with a launch or exercising at home. Because it is accessible, her busy schedule isn’t a barrier between her and the benefits.
Reconnecting to Your Breath cont’
Nathaniel Kleitman, a famous psychologist, and the father of modern sleep research, said that the same way we have cycles during our sleep approximately every 90 minutes, we should also cycle through work and rest throughout the day using a similar timeframe. This just means that every 90 minutes or so, you should take a moment to rest or reset. As a result, you’ll feel more productive!
Instead of “resting” by scrolling through your phone, which will actually drain your energy, reconnect to your breath instead.
Feel your connection to the earth, whether you’re standing or sitting, and take a deep inhale through your nose, all the way down into your diaphragm. Briefly scan your body, and as you exhale, relax your face, and unclench your jaw, neck, and shoulders. In an instant, you’ll reset your breath, your mindset, and your body.
You can do this with open eyes at your desk or while standing in line, or closed eyes if you have a private moment to yourself at home.
Create an experiment with yourself where you set at least 3 alarms throughout the day that remind you to reconnect with your breath. Over the next 7 days, notice how your mind and energy shifts and what happens.
