When Patience Runs Thin, I Breathe

A HypnoBirthing client once asked me, “Do you use any of the breaths we learn in real life?”

Do I! It’s 8:30 p.m., and my youngest one should have been asleep by now, but she’s not even close—and she wants to keep it that way!

I notice frustration starting to build in my body, so I breathe. I create distance, which gives me choices in how I act.

In HypnoBirthing®, we practice a calming breath similar to 4-7-8 breathing. Moms quickly discover how powerful it can be in easing stress and guiding the body into a more relaxed state. Bu there’s more!

When you notice an uncomfortable thought or feeling and choose to breathe deliberately, you are taking a step away from collapsing into the thought, emotion, or sensation. Instead, you can observe it and be fully present with it without losing everything else you are that goes beyond it.

You also learn that you have choice and agency. You can choose to be with whatever is coming through and even welcome it with an “I see you.” With more clarity and calm, you can also choose your next step intentionally, from a place of steadiness.