take a moment - breathe

One of the keys to creating everyday calm is finding moments in your day where you can stop and take the time to connect with the things that really matter.

Taking the focus off the small stuff and finding ways to reflect on the best things in life is a nice way to put things in perspective.

I thought I'd write a few 'take a moment' posts. There are lots of ways to take time out so over the coming weeks (or maybe it will end up being months) I'll share some of my ideas about how you can stop and connect with the real essence of life.

Probably the best place to begin is with the breath. I know it's pretty basic but most of us forget to breathe properly - particularly when we're stressed (even I'm guilty of this after twenty years of meditating).

So, take a moment...and start by just focusing on your breath (this is generally easier if you close your eyes). Breathe in deeply for the count of five (slow counting, don't rush it). Then hold your breath for five counts. And breathe out for the count of five. And repeat the exercise five times.

Such a simple thing to do but it is really effective. Just five slow breaths will make you feel calm.