Stop and take three breaths

Rest with Lizzie Lasater

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Stop and take three breaths

Lizzie Lasater

Aug 21, 2022

Here’s another episode of my Somatic Self Care podcast with the wonderful Mary Richards. In it we discuss Chapter 13 from The Body Keeps the Score. Did you enjoy listening? Please share this free newsletter with a friend.

This summer, I’ve been noticing how often I feel rushed.

Like on the outside I might be sitting with my twins on a bench in a charming mountain village in Tuscany, Italy, but inside my belly/chest I’m filling with a hot feeling of friction. It’s similar to frustration, but with more volatility.

And it’s often accompanied by some version of the thought I don’t have time for this. I don’t have time for this temper tantrum. I don’t have time to stop and go to the bathroom. I don’t have time to enjoy this moment because it’s already so late in the morning and we’ve got to get moving and and and…

Raise your hand if you know that feeling?

Here’s what’s helping: whenever I notice this dynamic, stopping, closing my eyes, and taking three empty breaths. I’m not trying to shift my interior state. Just to give it some space. Spoiler alert: it’s much harder than it sounds to breathe three full breaths without opening my eyes and starting to fidget.

Do you want to try it? Leave a short comment, or just an emoji, if you plan to experiment with this simple practice together this week.