A Message for You

Life can get too loud. It happens without warning. One moment, I am okay. The next moment, my mind is full. It is full of things to do. It is full of things to remember. It is full of worries.

It feels like a storm. A storm in my head. I feel lost in the wind and rain. I cannot find my way. I have nothing to hold on to.

For years, this happened to me. When the storm came, I would fall. My worries would push me down. I felt I had no power. I thought this was just how life is.

But then I found one simple thing. It is not a secret. It is not hard to find. You have it with you right now. It is your breath.

I want to tell you my story. It is about how one breath, all by itself, can be an anchor. It can hold you safe in the storm.

The Fight That Never Works

When I felt bad, I used to fight it. I thought I had to be tough on myself.

I would tell myself, "Stop it. Just be better." I would try to push the sad or scared feelings away. My body would get stiff. My shoulders got tight. My hands would make fists.

I would stay very busy. I cleaned things that were already clean. I looked at my phone again and again. I tried to run from the feelings.

I thought if I fought hard enough, I would win.

But I never won.

The fight just made me tired. So tired. At the end, the bad feelings were still there. I was just more tired from fighting.

I finally saw the truth. I was trying to stop the rain by being angry at the sky. It doesn't work. You just end up wet and tired.

That fight never works. It only makes you tired. When I understood this, I knew I needed to find a new way.

The Day I Found My Anchor

I was so tired of fighting. One day, the storm came again. I felt the worry and tightness start. But I had no strength left. I was empty.

So I stopped fighting. I just stood still. I closed my eyes. I felt heavy and tired.

The only thing I could do was breathe. I took one slow breath in. I felt the air going in. I felt my chest rise.

Then I breathed out slowly. I let all the air out. I felt my shoulders drop. I felt my body relax.

Something happened then.

The storm in my head didn't go away. But it felt different. For a moment, I wasn't in the storm. I was just watching it. The breath made a safe space around me.

That breath became my anchor. It held me steady. I didn't have to fight anymore.

I started using this breath everywhere. In the car. At work. Before bed.

Sometimes it worked well. Sometimes my mind was still noisy. But even then, it helped a little.

I learned something important. The anchor was always inside me. I didn't need to find it somewhere else. I just needed to remember to breathe. My breath was always there, waiting to help me find calm.

A Simple Way to Practice

You might wonder how to do this. Let me tell you what I do. It is very simple.

First, I notice I feel bad. My shoulders get tight. My heart beats fast. I feel worried. This is my sign to stop.

I do not need a special place. I can do it anywhere.

If I am washing dishes, I stop. If I am sitting, I put my hands down. If I am standing, I feel my feet.

Then I take one breath. Just one.

I breathe in slow through my nose. I don't really count, just a slow, easy breath in.

I breathe out slow through my mouth. I let the air out slow, like a quiet sigh.

That is all. One breath in and out.

I do this many times a day. Before I talk to someone. After I work. When I wait for food to cook.

Some days it is easy. Some days it is hard. That is okay. I do not worry if I do it wrong.

This isn't another thing you have to do perfectly. It is just a small pause, a way to come back to yourself.

A Last Thought

We have talked about my story. I told you about my hard times. I told you how I found something that helps.

Remember this one thing: Peace is inside you. You already have it.

I looked for peace in many places. I thought it was in getting things done. I thought it was in going places. But that peace never stayed.

Then I found peace in my breath. It is always with me. It never leaves.

This is not hard to do. You do not need to learn special things. You just need to breathe.

Life is still not always easy. I still have hard days. But I feel stronger now. My breath helps me stand strong.

You have this same power. It is in you. You do not need to be perfect. Just try one breath.

As you go forward, remember: Your peace is in you. Your help is in your breath. You do not need to look far.