I am currently part of a blog challenge #musictherapybloggerchallenge, and this week I have to blog about something that I find useful for myself and my practice.
BREATHE.
Sounds simple doesn’t it?
I tend to forget this. I catch myself holding my breath all the time, which, has its difficulties since I basically sing and speak for a living. So, what do I do? I post this word in the areas I spend my time. I have it in random spots, on random pieces of paper, but it reminds me to take a moment, and just breathe.
Why do I feel this is so important? I wanted to share it with you, because as caregivers, administrators, parents, therapists, helpers, and/or clinicians, we all have to take moments to care for ourselves; to engage in something for ourselves so that we CAN help others and be there for the people who need us. Our breath is our life force, and getting the proper amount of air circulating in our body helps us more than it seems. Our breath connects all the systems of our body, as well as the mind-body connection. Breath work is important to support this physical, mental, and emotional connection.
Go ahead, try right now to take several deep breaths in and out. Close your eyes if you need too to completely focus on air moving in and out of the tip of your nose. Feel your rib cage expand as you breathe in, and move inward as you exhale. How do you feel?
For me, when I completely focus on my breath, I feel more alert and clear. I feel grounded. My shoulders and jaw relax. And I become more attentive to what’s going on around me. Even if it is only a minute or two of focusing on my breath, it helps me stay attentive and clear for a long period after. I have had lots of practice in meditation and deep breathing, so my body can usually regulate itself pretty quickly.
As a music therapist, I engage in self-care exercises like this regularly to ensure that I’m the best I can be to help my clients. Days can be long, and some clients can weigh on my mind as I care for them so much and want to help them so much. Simple breathing exercises like this help me to focus inward and let go; leading me to be in the moment with whoever I am helping.
I invite you to take a minute each day to pay attention to your breath. Make it a part of your routine; or place reminders around like I do. Or, perhaps you have something else you’d like to remind yourself of each day. It can be as simple as writing it on a post it; or framing a motivational quote/picture. It’s all about you and your self-care, so do what works for you!
Have any other simple self-care exercises you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear!
And remember,
