Manage Stress...Breathe Like a Seal

Our emotions can cloud our decision making, especially when it comes to our money. This has been studied numerous times by psychologists but my favorite experiment is called the "Ultimatum Game". To hear more about it, check out episode 1 of the Calm Cash Podcast. The key takeaway is before we make financial decisions, we need a clear head and a calm mind. Here's how...Box Breathing and Calm Breathing.

Calm Cash will only talk about strategies and practices that have been studied and show clinically proven outcomes. To help manage your emotions and create mental alertness, I want you to breathe like a seal. Not the kind that lives in the ocean but a Navy Seal. One of the elite units of our armed forces. Seals use two different techniques that are all about breathing to remove anxiety either before a stressful situation or to keep their composure during an intense situation. The first technique is called Box Breathing and the second is Calm Breathing.

Let's start by talking about Box Breathing. Before combat, the Seals use Box Breathing to heighten their mental alertness, calm nerves and build composure. Box Breathing is also used by athletes and more and more corporate professionals to have a calm, clear mind. The great news is that anyone can do. Here's how it works...

Find a comfortable, seated position, sitting up as tall as you can in your chair. If you have access to a quiet space, even better, but sometimes we don't have that. Relax your shoulders and place your hands either on your lap or you can put your palms on your rib cage to experience your breath. First, we are going to inhale for 4 long seconds (count 1, 2, 3, 4). Breathe from your belly instead of your chest filling up your chest and lungs from your belly up. You will feel your belly button push out and if your palms are on your ribs you will feel your ribs expand outwards too. Next we are going to hold that breath for 4 seconds (count 1, 2, 3, 4). Now exhale for 4 seconds (count 1, 2, 3, 4) and with almost all of your breath out we are going to hold for 4 more seconds (count 1, 2, 3, 4). You can repeat this cycle for several rounds trying to breathe for at least 2 minutes. You should feel a sense of calm and focus and the effects of this breathing can last for hours.

Calm Breathing is another tactic that helps manage anxiety and composure during stress but this can be done in the midst of a stressful situation. During combat, Seals will use Calm Breathing to stay focused and push through tough situations. This is considered non meditative breathing and you don't lose contact with the outside world which makes it perfect as a technique to use during tough work situations or conversations with another person. This breathing is pretty simple. Inhale for 4 seconds and then exhale for 6 seconds. Breathe from your belly and complete as many repetitions as needed to stay cool in the moment.

Breathing is so important to our mood and performance. Under pressure, make sure to stop and check your breath. Use these exercises and find your calm!

Manage Stress With Box Breathing

#mentalhealth #breathe