Pause, Soften, Listen: A Simple Practice for Overwhelm

It's fall, and everyone is talking about PSL season. I love a pumpkin spice latte, but in my world PSL means something else: pause, soften, and listen. It's the practice I reach for when I start to feel overwhelmed, and it takes about a minute.

I've learned that by the time I call it overwhelm, I've usually gone too far. For me it starts small, with tight shoulders, a clenched jaw and thoughts that start to race. That's my cue to begin.

Pause. Stop what you're doing, even for a few seconds. Take one slow breath in and let it all the way out.

Soften. Let your shoulders drop. Soften your jaw, your belly and your heart. You don't have to make the feeling go away. You're giving it more room.

Listen. Ask your body what it needs right now. Then listen for the next right thought or action. In my experience it's usually smaller and kinder than the list in your head.

When you're overwhelmed, a long routine can feel like one more thing on the list. A practice you can do in the car, at your desk or in line for coffee is one you'll actually use. The more often you come back to it, the sooner you'll notice what your body is telling you.

If you'd like to practice with other people, join me in The Breathing Room. It's free group breathwork on Zoom, every Thursday at 1 pm Mountain.

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I'm Tina Brown. I practice energy medicine: breathwork, somatic work, and energy healing. I work with women and men everywhere, all online.