Your next expansion is going to come from you doing less. If that makes you roll your eyes, keep reading.
First, take a deep breath. Breathe in through your nose, filling up with as much air as you can. Focus on filling air into your belly, into your chest, hold it for a moment at the top. Exhale it out. Let the exhale be audible. Repeat a few more times. Feel a change? That’s the power of breathwork.
Breathwork is an underutilized tool
Deep breaths are like hugs for your nervous system. Studies show that slow, diaphragmatic breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, activating the parasympathetic “rest-and-digest” system, which lowers heart rate and blood pressure while reducing cortisol (the stress hormone) in the body (Jerath et al., 2006; Russo et al., 2017). Deep breaths create space in the constant tracks of repetitive thinking.
The journey from the mind to the heart, though short in distance (about 10 inches), is a profound journey that will open you and your business up in ways your mind can’t fathom. What does it take to go on this journey? Slowing down. The bridge that will take you there? Your breath.
We all want our businesses to grow.
This may be through new clients, new collaborations, new employees, new opportunities and there is no shortage of opportunities for this. With AI advancements and social platforms, you think about something, and next thing you know you see ten ads for it. We are living in “the age of information,” which is a huge asset for entrepreneurs, but can sometimes be interchangeable with “the age of overwhelm.”
The question is: how can you call in the most aligned support for your business, and how can you decipher what is aligned versus what is a distraction?
When your mind is driving the car, it can feel like when Google Maps hasn’t been updated. Redirecting you every couple of minutes, making you frustrated and late. When the mind moves out of the driver’s seat and finally rests, everything changes. The body shifts into a calmer, more creative state. Research has found that controlled breathing practices can increase alpha brain wave activity. It can support cognitive clarity, problem-solving, and emotional regulation (Zaccaro et al., 2018).
Breathwork gets you out of your head and reconnects you with your truest desires.
This state is where your best ideas come from. On a physical level, breathing techniques have been linked with improved heart rate variability (HRV). All a marker of resilience and adaptability in the nervous system (Laborde et al., 2017). As HRV increases, your ability to manage stress and make clearer business or life decisions improves.
So what does this look like? Well, it depends how deep you’re ready and willing to go. It depends how much time you’re willing to invest. It is a worthy investment that can be 5–10 minutes of breathwork each morning: focused, relaxed, intentional breathing. Even short sessions have been shown to lower perceived stress and improve mood (Ma et al., 2017). Or it can be more powerful, transformative breathwork. That’s what I specialize in. Holding space for people to experience the power of their breath for breakthroughs.
As one recent participant shared:
“Kelsey introduced me to breath work, and it has been a life changer. I highly recommend her, especially if you are feeling stuck!”
So, consider adding breathwork to your self-care practices. Watch as you clear space for aligned collaborations, reduced stress, and business expansion.
