3 Micro Habits That Have Made Me Calmer and Happier
Small daily habits leads to long term growth
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There are many habits that we pick up throughout our lives. Some habits like brushing our teeth we pick up at an early age while others are developed later.
Over the past year, I have incorporated three small habits into my daily routine that have helped ground me and make me a calmer person.
Deep Breathing
My first encounter with breathing pattern disorders was when I took part in a course called ‘Flying Without Fear’ in Auckland. The instructor identified that every time I was faced with a stressful situation, my breathing rate would increase and I would start over-breathing. Over a long flight, this would increase my anxiety levels and cause other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and a reduced appetite.
In her book ‘ Breathing Pattern Disorders’ Dinah says that almost 50–70% of the population suffer from chronic hyperventilation or over-breathing. Hyperventilation can affect the body in many ways, upsetting the levels of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream and triggering the sympathetic nervous system.
Anxiety and stress are common triggers for hyperventilation. With increasing levels of stress and anxiety today, it is no wonder that many suffer from this disorder.
The essence of recovery is to retrain one’s breathing through the following steps:
- Learning low and slow nose breathing
- Relaxing the upper chest and shoulders
- Breathing deep into the abdomen
Every day spend 5 to 10 minutes retraining your breath. Within a month deep breathing will become second nature to you.
Spending time with God
When life gets busy, it's easy to neglect our quiet time with God. However, it is in these moments of quietness and stillness that we can find inner peace.
Time with God whether through prayer or the reading of his Word, nourishes the soul. God speaks to us through his Word which is why it is vital.
We learn that God has a plan for us and in spite of the many obstacles we face, his plan will prevail. Prayer with God shifts the focus from worry to trust. Worry leads to stress while trust builds confidence.
Intentionally slowing down
Everyone is so busy these days. Life rushes by before you know it. My third micro habit is about combating this rush by intentionally slowing down.
I start slowing down with my first task of the morning which is brushing my teeth. I take my time, focusing on the task of moving the brush slowly up and down.
I walk slowly to the living room and take my time reading the newspaper. Moving slow helps reduce stress levels and maintain a sense of calmness. What are we rushing for after all? The world will still go on without us.
