It was 2017. I had woken up at 4:45am to take the insane African road commute to the office in Luanda, Angola.

By 7:00am, I was already knees deep in problem solving potential catastrophic events .. suppliers stuck at borders, flight delays due to the conflict in Syria, a billion dollar new venture project presentation due in an hour ..

By 9:00am, my head would be throbbing, dizzy. I was a high functioning, ticking time bomb of stress. This would go on with no end in sight, a constant cycle of adrenaline, until one day my body screamed from within ..

// You need to BREATHE //

(( I often think back to those days of complete neglect and disconnect from my body. I was so outwardly praised, that I forgot about my inward power ))

There’s only so long that you can live in this way. When I moved to Norway in 2018, the chaos of that demanding job in Africa fell away and what came next was arguably more difficult.

Moments of nothingness to fill.

Working 8-4 everyday with weekends off should have seemed like a dream come true but I felt like a prisoner to my mind. I finally had the space and time to think and process those 5 years in Africa. Instead of being able to move forward or push it down somewhere, it was here. The energy was just sitting in my body. And it soon took the shape of crippling anxiety and panic attacks.

My panic attacks were so severe that they took me to the hospital because I felt like I couldn’t breathe … only to find out my oxygen and vitals were completely normal.

That’s when I accidently stumbled upon shamanic healing and holotropic breathwork on the island of Ibiza, Spain …

The world looked brighter (literally) because I had released what I had been holding onto for so long.

My anxiety and panic attacks didn’t go away overnight but I now had the tools to work through them by recognizing the feelings and overtime I was able to start observing instead of reacting.

Breathwork and the connection to your breath will change your life.

This inspired me to share in our latest journal entry today on how you can connect with the power of your breath. Keep reading below for [7 ways to connect with your breath] and discover the power your breath holds from within you.

What are 7 ways you can connect with the power of your breath?

Face Muscle Movements
Take a few moments right now to observe the tension in your face. Are you clenching your jaw or tightening in certain places? Bringing an awareness to this tension and doing movements that open and release allow you to fully breath and connect. You can intuitively feel into the points of tension, move, & smooth them out in a self guiding practice or you can also find many guided videos on YouTube.
Body Scan
This one is so simple, so yummy, and also something you can practice with your kids! You can either stand or lie flat on your back (or on your side with a pillow between your legs if you’re currently pregnant). Bring attention to one area of your body at a time starting at the toes, then the feet, and so on until you’ve mentally and physically moved through each part of your body. When you come across an area that is tight, you can gently stretch or shake out the area. When you come across an area that feels neglected and often forgotten (hello heart space and womb space for us mothers), visually send light and warmth to these areas. Continue onwards and do this as often as you feel into.
Verbal Tension Release
Kids tend to do this way more than adults! Grunt, scream, cry, laugh .. whatever your voice wants to let out, let it! The affects of holding it in can overtime cause it to show up in other ways, like stress, resentment, rage, or even physical illness. My latest is that whenever I’m frustrated, I let out a [ferocious lion roar]. My kids recognize it as mommy needing a minute to herself and sometimes they like to roar back <3.
Acupuncture
If you haven’t given acupuncture a chance, I can’t recommend it enough. Whenever I’m feeling off balance within my body .. low on energy, built up anxiety, immune system feeling depleted, and the list goes on .. a visit to my acupuncture therapist allows me space and presence to breath deeply while the pressure points within me are cared for.
Breathwork
As you read from the beginning of this journal entry, breathwork has the power to provide you with many things AND there are varying levels of intensity to breathwork. I tend to lean into holotropic breathwork, but there are many variations to explore. The incredible thing about breathwork is that it is a guided practice BUT it is your breath and you have the power. Breathwork has personally been a place where I release tension, become more present, connect with my higher self, and much more. Every session is always different and I believe that it gives you what you need at that point in time.
Yin Yoga
A slower, gentler yoga creates space for pause and deeper connection to your body and your breath. By moving at a slower pace you become more attuned to what your body needs and have the ability to breathe into the places of need.
Somatic Movement
This can mean putting on a song and dancing like no one is watching, to guiding yourself through a yoga or fiery movement sequence. Somatic movement to me relates to letting your intuition take the wheel, while outside goals, expectations, and judgement melt away.