Take Time to Breathe
Many of us are very motivated and busy. It’s exciting when we put our passion for our activity into all we do, and great things can be the result. But we also need to remind ourselves to take time to breathe.
By this I mean taking time to stop and rest and rejuvenate. This means something different for each of us, and can be different things at different times.
For me this week it meant taking a morning off from working. I started by taking an hour to walk around Busch Gardens here in Tampa, FL where I live. Not only do I enjoy the release and rush of riding a roller coaster, but the park also has lots of wildlife and beautiful animals in natural environments. Any day I can stop and watch a giraffe is a good day.
I followed this visit with a trip to a favorite antique store to look for some items for the new Bed & Breakfast, the Phantom History House. I was looking for a side table and was lucky enough to find exactly the table I was looking for! The staff at Vintage Post Marketplace loves the theming of our bed & breakfast and is terrific at helping us find the items we need.
After this visit and a few more errands I returned home relaxed and breathing more easily. I’ll admit I tend to worry about the new business, plus the other work on my plate for music clients and the podcast, so I have to take time to stop and “smell the giraffes.” (Wow that phrase should have been left alone.)
I also encourage you to literally stop and pay attention to your breathing. We tend to breathe in shallow breaths. Take time to take some slow, deep breaths and feel how that feels. Exercise is a great way to strengthen your breathing and feel the need for deep healing breaths. Simply becoming aware of your breathing can have a calming effect.
Consider what brings you joy and relaxes you, then make time in your life. Play that game of golf, go for a walk, take time to read or sew or hit the gym. Make it something where you move and work up a bit of a sweat and your benefits will multiply! Take time to rejuvenate and breathe and you’ll bring a better you to your students and activities.
Tim Hinton
February 3, 2023
