Stop! Now take a deep breath

Peace can only be found in the present moment. We all know the importance of planning for the future but it is important to come back to the present once the planning is done. Have you realised that past and future are just different versions of the present moment? If we cannot relive it, we call it the past and if we are yet to live it, we call it the future. Let me share with you a technique that I have found to be very useful to bring my attention back to the present moment. Focusing on breathing is the key to bring ourselves back to the present.

Understand the importance of breathing: Breathing is the most important food for your body cells. You cannot survive beyond a few minutes without breathing. Once you understand this truth you will give breathing the importance it actually deserves.  

Take deep breathing breaks: During your day, try to breathe as deeply as possible from your diaphragm. After every one hour, take 3 minute-deep breathing breaks. During these breaks, inhale for as long as you can and then exhale slowly for as long as you can. Initially it will feel uncomfortable as we are very used to shallow breathing but if you do it for 30 days, it will become a regular habit.

Thinking is linked to breathing: If you focus on your breathing, then your attention automatically comes to the present moment. The technique of conscious breathing, which means you are just focusing on inhalation and exhalation, is the most effective way to stop overthinking. Bring your attention to the centre of your forehead and just focus on your breathing. You will feel calm because thinking tires both the mind and body. When you focus on breathing you do not feel the need to react to every external stimuli.

Breathing heals your body and recharges your mind. If you are not leveraging the healing power of breathing, then you are missing out in life. Deep breathing is the only cure to overthinking and incontrovertibly the best anti-aging and body-restorative formula you can use.

(Siddhartha Sharma is the bestselling author of Love Your Mondays and retire young, 60 Keys to Success with NLP and many other books)