Happy last day of September! That busy time of year is quickly approaching, when stepping into any store means being greeted by the seasonal mix of pumpkins and holly leaves. Then comes the holiday plans: Who’s coming? Where are we going?—along with shopping lists, bucket lists, naughty/nice lists (pass!). It can feel like a lot, especially for us highly sensitive folks. 🙋♀️
But here’s the plan: we’ll do A Simple Thing each week to ease our minds, lighten our loads, and bring some calm to our calendars. We’ve got this!
A simple thing to do this week…
🌬 Let’s breathe.
Just the other day, I was rushing to pick up my kids from school, feeling the familiar wave of stress—impatience with the car in front of me, anxiety about running late, and the looming chaos of the evening ahead: dinner, clean-up, bath, books, bed. Then, I paused. I took a breath—inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 8. The effect was immediate. I eased off the gas pedal, felt the tension leave my chest (I hadn’t even realized how short my breath had become), and immediately I felt better.
The simple act of focusing on and controlling our breath can have a profound impact in even the most overwhelming moments. Best of all? It’s something we all possess and it costs nothing.
Over the years, I’ve picked up two breathing practices that have become my go-tos. I use them a few times a day, either proactively or when I notice myself feeling stressed, anxious, or in need of a reset:
Box Breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4, and hold for another 4. Repeat 4 times—visualize a box. The structured rhythm helps me stay mindful.
4x8 Breathing: This one’s quick but effective—inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 8. It helps release tension and clear out waste gases like carbon dioxide. Its simplicity is what makes it stick for me.
There are many different ways to practice mindful breathing, the key is finding one that’s easy to remember and fits into your daily life. Try one of these techniques this week, or explore others, and notice how you feel as the days go by. Keep breath as a priority as we head into the busiest season of the year—remember, no matter what’s happening around you, you always have the power of your breath.
P.S. If you want to dig even deeper into this topic the book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor offers some fascinating insights.
Take a mindful breath right now. 💨 Ahhhh. That’s better. Give this post a heart as your commitment to mindful breathing this week. And if you have a favorite breathing practice that works for you, please share it with us in the comments.
See you next week for another A Simple Thing—
Fellow highly sensitive person here 🙋🏻♀️ and def feeling it heading into holiday season on top of being an election year 🥵 love box breathing! I learned 4-7-8 breathing (same thing) but like the simplicity of the box technique better because I always forget what number I’m on and then get stressed while trying to de-stress 🤣
such a hectic time! I love to make gifts and my sweet friend loves to mock me when I am covered in fabric scraps and glitter glue the week before Christmas, baking cookies at 3am. Deserved. My 3-year-old randomly lead me in some box breathing exercises today and it felt like a win!!