Taking time to practice some deep breathing is a great way to find calm and centeredness in the middle of a stressful day or hectic situation. Here are some simple steps to follow:

• Find a comfortable position while sitting in a chair or lying down.
• Place your hands on your abdomen near your navel.
• Slowly inhale through your nose so that you feel your stomach rise up into your hand. Imagine you are a big balloon and are trying to take in as much oxygen as you possibly can and expanding in all areas of your torso. .
• Slowly exhale through your mouth feeling your stomach fall back to where it started.
• Repeat 5 to 10 times until you start to feel calm, centered, and relaxed.

Once you are calm, continue slow, relaxed breathing as you close your eyes and let your mind take you to some place that provides you with a feeling of warmth, happiness, and peacefulness. Take in every sight, smell, and sound around you. Take in the imagery and feelings and let your imagination and heart bring you to a place where you feel calm and love. Grant yourself permission to just “be” (after all, we are human beings, not human doings) and take it in for at least 5-10 minutes. This may take some practice at first, and the more stressed you are, the more difficult it will be to let your mind go. Over time, you should be able to visualize and find a sense of peace and tranquility much more quickly. Often playing soothing, relaxing music in the background to help mask distracting background noises can enhance the relaxation experience. Using aromatherapy lotions can also enhance this experience – this is your time!