Become an Expert at Breathing: Day 1 Transcript

Alright… Here we are at Day 1 of the Differently Wired 7 Day Challenge! I’m so glad you’re here!

So. I know you are super busy and so I’m just going to jump right in. Today’s TILT is to become an expert at breathing. Yes, breathing.

And I’m going to show you what I mean right now. So…stop what you’re doing, take a deep inhale, hold it in for a count of five, and slowly blow it out through your mouth. Now do it again. Inhale, count to five, slowly exhale. And one last time. In, hold, out.

Okay. Got it? Good. Because that super simple action can be a game-changer.

One of my favorite parent coaches, Margaret Webb, introduced me to the power of this strategy as a way to navigate especially challenging situations with Asher. I remember at the time, I was thinking like, Yeah, yeah, deep breaths… that doesn’t actually fix anything.

But then I tried it. Like, honestly committed to doing it, no matter how upset or frustrated I was with what was happening right in front of me, and I discovered that it works.

When you can stop before you react to what’s happening with your child and take that deep breath, hold it in, and slowly exhale, it will not only shift your energy, but quite often your child’s right along with you. The bonus? Once you have this tool in your toolkit, you will feel more in control when the crap hits the fan because you have a plan.

It’s not always easy to do. In the midst of tough moments sometimes we forget. And that’s okay. It’s a muscle we can start building. And it will get easier with practice.

Your Challenge

Commit to taking a breath, counting to five, and slowly exhale when you’re in a tough situation with your child at least one time each day. Then, notice how taking those breaths changed what was happening, both for you and your child. And don’t forget to download the Differently-Wired 7 Day Challenge PDF so you can print it out and fill in as you go along. Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you here tomorrow!