Breathe Into the Pain

🌟Weekly Inspiration🌟

Our little southern CA community has been struck again by tragedy. It is a heartbreaking time; sending love and strength to all of the families affected by another tragic loss of a beautiful teenager.

When there are no words or actions that help, I am reminded that sometimes simply breathing is enough. When we are in shock or emotional pain, our bodies tend to tighten up. We begin to brace and constrict. Our breathing is shallow. When we have chronic suffering, we have been constricted for a long time and you can imagine the toll that that takes on our bodies and spirits. The families in our community have had an extremely challenging time over the last four months—the LA Fires that devastated Southern California and led to many displaced and grieving families in our community…and now two kids struck by drunk drivers.

We all need to breathe.

Try taking a deep inhale through your nose, exhaling through your mouth, and “breathing the air” into the distressed area. When we have an injury or are stretching deeply, this is instinctively what we do. It is also helpful to do this to quiet anxiety/stress/emotional pain. Creating space with our breath is a good start towards coping and healing. When we are at a loss, start with the basics:  breath, sleep, water, and connection.

If you do not live in Southern California and aren’t facing this current grief, you are likely facing your own battles as a fellow human. Remembering to breathe is always a good idea ❤️.

Ask Yourself

Is my body tense and constricted? Do I forget to breathe?
How do I process shock? Grief? How do my children?
What brave conversations do I need to have with my family members in the wake of tragedy?
What brings me comfort and hope?
What is my Next Right Decision? Sleep, eat, breathe, cry, pray?
How do I set the tone in my family for healing?

Be well!