When anxiety creeps in, our breath often carries the story we’re telling ourselves. In my conversation with Justin Whitmel Earley, he points out that we can use our breath to interrupt anxiety:
- Breathe in for 4 seconds
- Hold for 4 seconds
- Breathe out for 4 seconds
- Hold for 4 seconds (Repeat a few times—this is called box breathing and it calms your nervous system.)
Now pair box breathing with truth. While you breathe, pray a short breath prayer, especially in the middle of ordinary life, like doing dishes. Instead of standing in the kitchen and silently repeating the story that “No one helps me. No one cares,”
🍃breathe in: “God is with me.”
🍃breathe out: “I am not alone.”
As Justin put it, we can “respirate lies” or we can respirate truth. Both shape our bodies, our brains, and our souls.
“I want to be formed in gratitude. I want to be formed in peace. Let me garden that plant instead of gardening the anxiety plant because both of them will grow if you tend to them… I had no idea actually how much God has given us the capacity to garden peace and put off anxiety simply through breathing.”
Justin and I also talk about sleep, eating, and that cheese casserole at the church potluck!👇🏻
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