When you are transitioning from one activity to another, you must pause, then breathe deeply. Most people are unconscious when they go about their daily lives. They are on auto-pilot and they don’t even know it. Most people think they are conscious, but in reality, their subconscious is driving their decisions and actions for the day. They are unconsciously moving through the day. Your brain does this to preserve itself. You have evolved through thousands of years to get here. So let’s explore why this is dangerous.
Let’s say you are driving. You are have driven the last 10 minutes and you realize that you do not remember how you got here. The time passed by, and you were driven by your automatic actions. You know how to drive a car, so you feel in control. You are challenging yourself to pay attention to the road, so you think you are in control. But as soon as the challenge goes away, as soon as the road becomes straight, and you are simply coasting the road, you enter into an automatic mode. You are not clocked in. You are clocked out, mentally. This state is easy. This state, your brain prefers. When you need to swerve or the challenge increases, your mental alertness also increases. You are not out of auto-pilot mode. You are now driving with mental control.
On the other hand, let’s say you are watching television. Your brain is a mush. You are apathetic, because the skills and challenges of watching a flickering box of images or videos is zero to none. You are an observer. You are apathetic. You are dumb, literary, since you are not using your brain. Your brain goes to hibernation mode. Most people tune out while watching television. The process of watching tv allows you to lose yourself, and your mind in the process. But this is not productive, in any way. While watching television, you are not motivated to do anything. And the problem even arises past the experience. You are simply not living your best life. You are passively watching it go by.
How does this relate to breathing? You are your own worst enemy. If you cannot get into an activity quickly, you are not properly enjoying your life. If all you can think about is work when you talk to your girlfriend or wife, you are not living in the moment. You are living in your mind, neglecting your girlfriend or wife by giving her partial attention. If you are like most people, you mind will wonder between the conversation with your partner, and your thoughts about work. This leads to divided attention, and inefficient thought process.
How do you fix this? Let’s consider breathing. It is through the process of the breath that you regain control of your own body. It is through the process of breathing, that you become aware of yourself. You must breathe to become your best self, at every moment. It is your breath that will connect you with your body. Your breath will allow you transition from your mind to the task at hand. Your breath will allow you to become your best self.
How often are you truly present? Is your awareness hyper sensitive? Are you fully aware of everything you’re saying, everything you’re doing, and everything you’re thinking? Most people are not. They are floating through life, unconscious of this process. There is only one way to regain control. There is only one way to become sensitive and achieve mindfulness.
The only way is through your breath.