Universal Stress Reduction, Feeling at Ease, and No Need to Worry

1. A Universal Way to Reduce Any Stress Reaction

“Every time you breathe out, your heartbeat slows a little. Exhaling taps the brakes on your fight-or-flight response so that your heart rate can’t get dangerously high. That’s why—across hundreds of human cultures and even other species—a long, slow outbreath is a universal way to begin reducing any stress reaction.”

- Martha Beck,
Beyond Anxiety

Nothing to add to this one 👌

2. The Subtle Habit That Keeps Us from Feeling at Ease

“Unfortunately, the pleasure principle also makes it difficult for us to just be. In virtually every moment we’re attempting to adjust our experience, trying to hold on to pleasant moments and avoid unpleasant ones. This makes it very difficult to relax fully and feel at ease or satisfied.”

- Ronald Siegel, PsyD,
The Mindfulness Solution

Definitely guilty here. And while mindfulness doesn’t instantly (or ever completely) fix this, it does make it easier to be with how things are rather than how we wish they would be 🙏

3. Thoughts, Thinking, and Insights

• Thoughts: What your mind produces naturally. We can’t stop them; only allow them to arise and go on their own.

• Thinking: Engaging with thoughts. This is usually what we mean by “mind wandering,” and it’s where rumination, worry, and anxiety typically pop up.

• Insights: Valuable thoughts. They are the spontaneous sparks of wisdom that arise without thinking.

This distinction is one of my favorite parts of my new ebook on Wisdom Meditation. In it, I explore how this simple reframe can significantly enhance how we relate to our meditation practice.

4. There Is No Need to Worry

“If there is a solution, there is no need to worry, and if there is no solution, there is no reason to worry either.”

- Matthieu Ricard,
found in The No-Nonsense Meditation Book

This quote has been said by many different people in different ways, but it’s always a welcome reminder of the futility of worrying.

"Our capacity to control our breathing and to breathe consciously is very beneficial to the brain. That’s why I like breathing meditation so much."

— — Steven Laureys, MD

The No-Nonsense Meditation Book by Steven Laureys, MD

This is a great book on the science of meditation (along with many fun anecdotes and practical suggestions). There’s even a whole chapter on breathing 😊

In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. inner applause

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.