3

BREATHE YOUR GOALS TO LIFE

One conscious breath in and out is a meditation.

—ECKHART TOLLE

Back in the days following my Savasana breakthrough, I was completely intrigued about what else I could “make happen” with my breath. I was beginning to master the five minutes of empowering stillness in class, so I decided to take the magic of 3DB off my yoga mat and into my office. It has been the most powerful tool in my entrepreneurial tool kit ever since. Because I had no business experience and often felt unqualified to do things that I dreamed of doing in business, breath always made me feel like “I could.” It became clear that breath, like many other things in life, has a basic version and upgraded versions. Whenever possible, it's nice to experience an upgrade, right? So, I continued to experiment with intentional breaths to help connect my mind and body and access a more patient, focused, confident, and successful version of myself.

UPGRADE YOUR BREATH

Your shallow, automated breath is simply your basic “factory setting” version. It does what it's supposed to do, but it's capable of delivering so much more . . . if you're willing to change the setting. The great thing about upgrading the breath is that there's no extra fee. It's simply a decision that you make. As you get to know the power of your breath, you'll see that it has many different applications; it's a tool for taking preventive measures as well as healing, restoring, supporting, empowering, and transforming.

I began my experimentation with breath in business with the one tool that is still my go-to favorite: 3DB. It could not be simpler. 3DB at key moments gave me the strength to take leaps, see things more clearly, and make mindful decisions. I also began to experiment more on my yoga mat during class to see the difference that came from focusing on breath rather than the yoga poses. I began to have a new level of clarity and creativity during yoga class. Using different breaths throughout class cleared my head and made me feel better. In addition, some of my most creative ideas came shortly after I had been doing deep breathing. It's the breath that has kept me coming back to class for almost thirty years now.

But breath doesn't have to be attached to movement to work its magic. Bringing breath into business helped manage my negative emotions by letting them go with each deep exhale and bringing in confidence, optimism, and a higher level of patience with each inhale. I felt stronger emotionally as I built my business. My body also benefited; I had a new sense of physical energy from believing that I could. I was able to achieve milestones faster than I had imagined.

CUSTOMIZING BREATH WITH MULTIPLIERS (EYES CLOSED, VISUALIZATION, MANTRAS, INTENTIONS) FOR YOUR OWN UNIQUE MIX OF EMPOWERMENT

It didn't take long before I was using a variety of breath techniques and experimenting with different combinations of positive thoughts, intentions, visualizations, and mantras with each new type of breath that I learned. It was clear that my standard shallow breath wouldn't help when we received defective products from our manufacturer and our biggest client was already out of stock, but alternate nostril breathing could bring me back into balance to handle the crisis. Shallow, automatic breath wouldn't help when I had to negotiate price with a big client, but breath retention exercises helped me learn to move through discomfort in order to find something better. Shallow breath was no help at all when I was told “no” at critical steps along the journey, but lions breath allowed me to immediately let go of that “no” physically and find a better match for whatever I needed.

I'll be sharing my top six breathing techniques in this chapter. There are many more techniques, but for the purpose of introducing you to the power of breath, I'm sticking with my favorites—which also happen to be simple, fast, and effective. You may find that these breaths can be a gateway to longer meditations or other types of breath techniques. High-five if you do. Or you may find that you like only one type of enhanced breath . . . forever. High-five there, too; one new breath can be completely game changing! The beauty of breath and using it as a vehicle to connect the mind and body is that there are endless ways to keep it unique to you by adding any of the multipliers (closed eyes, positive thoughts, mantras, visualization) to any of the different breaths mentioned here or other techniques that you learn elsewhere. You can keep it simple or get more creative, but it'll always feel fresh because every day is a new experience.

NO INCENSE, NO HOLDING HANDS, NO CHANTING

I have a business sensibility about breath and meditation. Although my journey into breath came directly from yoga, my breath practice has always been very functional. No incense. No Sanskrit chants. No crystals. No trying to reach total enlightenment. Just you and your breath are necessary to take full advantage of the science behind changing your breath, managing your emotions, and accessing your maximum potential. Making breath a “spiritual” practice is wonderful, but don't let the idea of that hold you back. It's all within you, available anytime, anywhere, free refills included. Just you and your breath.

Breathing may be one of those things that you don't
need to fully understand or even believe in for it
to work. So even if you don't think the practice
will do much to calm your brain, give it a try—
it probably will help you in spite of yourself

— ALICE G. WALTON, PHD, BIOPSYCHOLOGY
AND BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE²⁵

My Top Six Breathing Techniques:

1. 3DB (three deep breaths)
2. Lion's breath
3. Alternate nostril breathing
4. Ujjayi
5. Breath retention
6. Bumble bee breath

Breath practice in Sanskrit is called pranayama. “Prana” means breath or life force, and “yama” means to control. I've found that through my breath practice, a specific breath can have the power to offer different outcomes in different situations. For example, some people use the lavender plant to calm themselves in their evening bath, whereas others use lavender aromatherapy to energize their spirit. I can take 3DB in situations when I need to calm my nerves, but in other cases, those 3DB will energize me. The main difference for me is what I'm thinking. Attaching thoughts to the breath will inform the body. Remember the power of your mind and see how different breaths can have more than one result.

THE IMPORTANCE OF NASAL BREATHING

In yoga, we breathe in and out through our nose unless we're doing a specific breath that's designed to exhale through the mouth, like lion's breath (explained in a moment).

Whenever possible during these breathing techniques, inhale and exhale through your nose unless you're doing a breath specifically designed to use your mouth, such as lion's breath.

The science of breathing stands on quite ancient
foundations. Centuries of wisdom instructs us
to pay closer attention to our breathing, the most
basic of things we do each day. And yet, maybe
because breathing is so basic, it's also easy to ignore.
A brief review of the latest science on breathing
and the brain, and overall health, serves as a
reminder that breathing deserves much closer
attention —there's more going on with each
breath than we realize.

— DAVID DISALVO, author of Brain Changer: How
Harnessing Your Brain's Power to Adapt Can Change Your Life²⁷

LET'S BREATHE: MY TOP SIX BREATH EXERCISES

Try one at a time and get to know the power of your breath better with each exercise. Experiment with the exercises in different situations. Mix and match. Make them your own. If you're not feeling it with one method, you can always come back to it at a later time when it may resonate more.

3DB (THREE DEEP BREATHS)

Just looking at those words (three deep breaths) makes me happy. 3DB have served as a gateway to experiencing an inner strength and control that I had no idea I could access. It doesn't get easier than this. The more frequently you take your 3DB, the more your body will crave them and automatically remind you to take them sooner rather than later. It's almost like there's exponential power with each of the 3DB. They can change your emotions, state of mind, and perspective in under a minute. To achieve the full benefits of deep breathing, try to not just breathe deeply into your chest but to expand your belly on the inhale. Think about the way babies breathe, how their tummy really expands before their chest. It feels counter-intuitive to adults, but keep it in mind. Every deep breath feels good, but you can maximize it with your diaphragm rather than your chest.

Let's Breathe

With these three deep breaths, inhale and exhale through your nose. Make an effort to lengthen your inhales so that you feel full of breath and expansion in your belly, and then exhale fully until you feel empty of the breath. You can place a hand on your belly to get to know the feeling of expanded deep breath. On the inhale, your belly will expand and, on the exhale, it contracts. It can feel counterintuitive; it just takes practice. No expectations—just experience it. Get to know your breath a little bit. With each time that you repeat this, begin to feel it. Close your eyes and go inward. Maybe even smile; it'll make you feel happy. If 3DB lead to four or five, that's fine, too. If you were comfortable with one or two right now, that's a start.

Hold tight to the idea that 3DB are always with you. You have to ability to immediately regroup and refocus in under sixty seconds. 3DB are packed with power to make a big shift in real time so that you can make mindful decisions and work with a positive and clear energy. Consider yourself armed and positive!

3DB to the Rescue

I distinctly remember the first panic attack I ever had. I was walking around the fabric district in downtown Los Angeles. I spent quite a bit of time there in the startup days, because before we were able to print our own fabric, I had to buy rolls of already printed fabrics from small fabric shops. As my business grew, I had gotten to know many of the store owners as I straddled the uncomfortable place between not having enough of these overrun fabric rolls and not yet being big enough for the minimum quantity requirements to design and print our own custom-designed fabric. I felt overwhelmed with frustration as I was downtown one day. I got dizzy and began to sweat; my heart was racing and I felt like I was going to faint. I had never experienced a panic attack. I went into one of the stores and sat down to take some slow, deep breaths and regroup. I added in some positive thoughts and felt my body soaking them in. Not only did the breaths make me feel better, but they turned this painful situation into a milestone moment; I was able to see that I was so stressed and anxious about the ongoing issue that something had to give.

I decided that it was time to negotiate with a local fabric printing company and take the leap of faith to design and print our own custom fabrics. That was it. After a year of several visits to the fabric district every week, I bid farewell to the small store owners and began to design and print our own fabrics. The panic attack turned out to be a blessing in disguise, and it reinforced my appreciation for breath to bring strength and relief, allowing me to regroup and refocus to make a much needed yet very intimidating change.

LION'S BREATH

Everyone over the age of three should know, love, and use lion's breath. It may look silly, but you usually do it when you're alone, so who cares? I taught this to my kids when they were young because it was a fun way for them to physically let go of a bad feeling. It's a healthy tool since it's difficult to explain emotional behavior to a three-year-old. Not only does it work in the sandbox, but it's just as effective in the office, too. Lion's breath relieves tension and is an energizing and cleansing breath. Not much scientific validation is required here; you'll quickly see that it just feels so darn good and is an immediate release of tension and stress as it brings a new sense of confidence. It has to be done fiercely like a lion for its full effect! Try three in a row.

Let's Breathe

Take a really deep inhale with your eyes closed; on the exhale, simultaneously stick out your tongue with fervor and sigh out all negativity while opening your eyes as wide as you can. Occasionally, I add a shaking out of my hands because I tend to hold stress in my hands. Although the hand-shaking part is not the traditional style of lion's breath, this shows the fun of customizing breath for what works best for you to feel good. This breath often leads to a giggle afterward, but there's nothing funny about how incredibly liberating and fierce (like a lion) it feels! It also tends to free up a tension-clenched jaw. I dare you to not enjoy lion's breath. Lion's breath can be like an exorcising because you can energetically let something out of your system. Your tongue dispels the negative thoughts or energy. It's immediately freeing. Maybe we should have a #LionsBreath Instagram photo contest!

ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING

This breath is a favorite because it balances the nervous system, and makes you feel grounded and strong. It's a great option before an important meeting, before giving a presentation, or when you are having a difficult conversation. Whatever the case may be, it takes just a few cycles of this balancing breath to feel more centered and focused. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest” system) and makes you feel as though you've got your act together. Alternate nostril breathing brings harmony to the left and right sides of your brain. Breathing in through your left nostril accesses the right side of your brain (the creative side), and breathing in through your right nostril accesses your left brain (the analytical/logical side). We don't breathe equally through each nostril at all times. One side may be a little more clogged than the other, and it switches up periodically throughout the day. Alternate nostril breathing can help us feel some equanimity.

Let's Breathe

Sit up tall. Close your eyes. Take your dominant hand and rest your thumb on one nostril and your ring finger on the other nostril. Your index and middle finger can rest on your forehead and your pinky is just along for the ride, in the air. These instructions are for the right-handed. Lefty friends: just swap the words right and left in these instructions.

1. Close the right nostril with your right thumb and inhale through the left nostril.
2. Close the left nostril with the right hand's ring finger and release the right thumb.
3. Exhale through the right nostril, keeping the left nostril closed.
4. Inhale through the right nostril; close it with the thumb.
5. Release the ring finger from the left side and exhale through the left nostril.
6. Repeat the full cycles for a few rounds of right/left.

UJJAYI BREATH

This is a classic yoga breath also known as whispering, ocean, or victorious breath. Ujjayi breath is usually done while moving through yoga poses to generate heat internally, but I find it helpful on its own, too. It feels as if you're revving up your internal engine, and the sound helps to make you feel present. It's detoxifying and can help regulate blood pressure. It helps to slow the breath and calm the nerves. It improves focus and clarity with just a few rounds. Melissa Eisler (via Chopra.com) describes ujjayi breath as “having a balancing influence on the entire cardiorespiratory system” and it “releases feelings of irritation and frustration, and helps calm the mind and body.” She lists the benefits as follows:

• Increases the amount of oxygen in the blood
• Builds internal body heat
• Relieves tension
• Encourages free flow of prana
• Builds energy
• Detoxifies mind and body
• Increases feelings of presence, self-awareness, and meditative qualities²⁹

Let's Breathe

Ujjayi is always done through the nose only:

1. Inhale through your nose and exhale slowly as if you're trying to fog up a mirror (except your mouth is closed). The sound comes from initiating a slight contraction at the back of your throat for a long “haaaa” sound.
2. Take a long, slow inhale, and on the exhale, direct the breath slowly across the back of your throat to re-create that “haaaa” sound.
3. Repeat a few times. It quickly becomes rhythmic and energizing.

I love using ujjayi when I need to clear my head and get back to the “blank canvas” in my mind, like taking a walk, putting my earbuds in, and instead of turning anything on, listening to my ujjayi breath and clearing my mind. It's detoxifying and brings a calm yet strong energy.

BREATH RETENTION

Breath retention, of course, means holding your breath. That hold can be done after an inhale or an exhale. There are numerous ways to integrate breath retention. For me, breath retention is analogous for seeing that being uncomfortable can lead to something better. When we hold our inhale and get to the point right before we absolutely have to exhale, it can feel uncomfortable and for me a bit claustrophobic as well. It's an exercise that helps me realize that when I push my boundaries it's not enjoyable in the moment but leads to growth and, in the case of breath, leads to a release of tension. Breath retention is known for restoring energy, increasing alertness, detoxing the respiratory system, and even boosting immunity. It also helps you get present as you focus exclusively on your breath.

Let's Breathe

When we inhale, we're bringing in oxygen. On the exhale we are letting out carbon dioxide, which helps to detoxify our body. Seventy percent of our toxins are let out through our exhales with the carbon dioxide. As you practice breath retention exercises over time, you can play with the length on all parts of the breath: inhales, exhales, and holds. Here's a general rule of thumb: When the exhales are longer than the inhales and the holds, it brings a calming feeling and your nervous systems slows down. When your inhales and exhales are the same length, it indicates balance and ease. There are so many different ways and levels to practice breath retention, so we'll ease into the idea of breath retention with this simple yet effective calming version:

1. Inhales and exhales are through the nose.
2. Breath in for a count of 4.
3. Exhale for a count of 6–8.
4. Inhale for a count of 4.
5. Exhale for a count of 6–8.
6. Repeat 3–4 times to bring on relaxation.

BUMBLE BEE OR BEE BREATH

No epi pen required; nobody's allergic to bee breath! This simple and fun technique will have you buzzing in no time. It's energizing and clearing. It helps concentration and memory, and I love to do it to clear my monkey mind and make room for creativity and clarity. This breath makes a noise as you hum on the exhale, so pick the right location when you do this one. It's not a very common breathing technique, but I've loved it from the first time I learned it because anything that can clear my head so quickly is a winner. Thanks, Christina Holmes!

Let's Breathe

Take a seat. Shoulders up and back. Start by closing your eyes and taking a deep breath. Inhales and exhales are through the nose. Raise both hands, palms facing you at the height of your eyes. Place each thumb on the cartilage of your ear (left thumb on left ear, right thumb on right ear) and gently press it closed. Put the rest of your fingers over each of your eyes. So, all four fingers of each hand are covering each eye and the thumb is gently closing the ear. Take a long inhale through your nose, and as you exhale, make a humming sound—hmmm. It should sound like a bee is buzzing right next to your ear. Continue exhaling until you are empty of oxygen. Then repeat for 3–5 cycles. Your mind should feel clear and energized. Now go get creative and productive!

As you begin to try different kinds of breath, you'll see what feels right for certain times of day or specific scenarios. You can begin to mix and match breath techniques with the multipliers (eyes closed, positive intention, mantra, visualization) however you'd like. It's kind of like how we thoughtfully choose our food at each meal based on what makes us feel best (vegan, organic, non-GMO, paleo, keto, non-dairy, etc.). It's time that we also order up some healthy emotions a few times a day, too. There's a veritable buffet of breath and mindset combinations—something for everyone! Here are some of my favorite “Breath for Success Recipes” to give you some ideas for customizing.

BREATH FOR SUCCESS RECIPES

If you make soup a lot like I do, you know that most soups start with the same three ingredients (chopped onions, celery, and carrot). But then you get creative and add all sorts of vegetables and spices and that's what makes each soup very different. Many breath and mindfulness techniques also start with foundational ingredients: breath, closed eyes, and positive intentions and/or mantra, but what makes them feel unique each time is the combination of breath along with different thoughts and intentions. As with vegetable soup, many people still appreciate recipes for guidance, so I've developed these breath recipes. Rest assured that you can't go wrong when you mix in a variety of things that you enjoy. Use your creativity in developing mantras and intentions with different breath styles, and each time you breathe it'll always feel a little different because the elements or situation has changed in some way. Practicing a variety of these techniques daily will help to significantly lower the production of the stress hormone cortisol, increase attention and focus, create the ability to be present in the moment, and improve deep sleep.

WAKE UP! SWAP ANXIETY FOR POSITIVITY

Waking up and immediately feeling anxious is not a good way to start the day. Whether you have had a bad night's sleep, have been carrying a lot of worry and anxiety, or have a nerve-wracking business day ahead of you, it's important to take control right away. Before leaving your bed, sit up and swap the negative energy for positive intention and inner strength. It can change the trajectory of your day immediately. You'll feel empowered.

Ingredients: Three deep breaths, eyes closed, positive thought (optional)

Recipe: Sit up tall and in a position that feels strong and confident. Close your eyes. With each deep breath, mentally acknowledge that you're inhaling fresh oxygen and happily send out negative energy with each long, slow exhale. Taking that mental energy swap first thing never disappoints. It's like an espresso for your mind; I call it “Breathspresso.” Breath alone can work its magic, but if you want to add a positive thought to replace any negative thoughts, do it. Good morning!

“GUT INSTINCT” TUNE-UP

Having strong gut instincts is important in business since you have to make quick decisions frequently. When you can trust your gut and your initial instincts, you make better decisions. Occasionally, though, we feel as if we've lost that connection. Maybe you've gotten into a rut where bad decisions find you in a place where you don't want to be. So now you'll second-guess your gut instinct. Remember the “Seinfeld” episode where George Costanza feels like this and decides to go with the opposite of what he'd normally do? Instead of doing that, get back in touch with your gut instinct. It's an important connection for decision making.

Ingredients: Three deep breaths, eyes closed, hands on belly, intention to reset your connection to gut instinct

Recipe: Lying down or sitting up, place both hands on your belly. Close your eyes and visualize energy flowing from your breath and tapping into your gut instinct with each inhale, reconnecting your mind and body. With each exhale, let go of any negative emotions or lack of confidence. Complete at least 3DB while consciously thinking about being able to trust your gut again. This method of placing your hands where you want to send your breath to deepen your connection can also work with your throat and eyes to feel more connected to your truth or your vision. For example, if you're having trouble speaking your truth or can't seem to communicate the way you want to, take a few deep breaths with your hands gently on your throat and chest area and consciously breathe some fresh energy into the area of your throat. Or cover your eyes gently and breathe into your eyes, connecting to your inner “vision” or opening up the energy to see things in a new or clearer way. Just sending some breath into a specific part of your body can open your mind to the idea of unlocking the stagnant energy. That's as woo-woo as I get, but it works!

TURNING REJECTION INTO MOMENTUM

Rejection is an inevitable part of business, but we often take it personally. Instead, you can use rejection as “fuel for your fire.” It can make you feel more determined if you decide to look at it as momentum. Sure, take a minute to acknowledge that you're disappointed, and then let your breath immediately shift your perspective, knowing that you will find a better opportunity or solution. Every “no” can lead to a better “yes”! “No” is not the enemy; it simply leads to another way. Looking back in my business life, I see many rejections that led to something so much better. Hindsight is 20/20, so take rejection with a better attitude rather than letting it set you back.

Ingredients: Lion's breath, positive mantra (optional)

Recipe: Immediately, as you experience rejection and could easily begin to steep in the dark mood that comes along with it, turn to your lion's breath to let it go. Stand up tall, shoulders up and back. Take a deep inhale with your eyes closed; on the exhale, simultaneously stick out your tongue and open your eyes as wide as you can. Make a sighing sound. If you feel like adding in some words of wisdom (something like “I am focused and persistent and will not quit”) to give you some inner strength, go ahead! Otherwise, the lions breath alone can dispel the negative energy and convert it to momentum and determination. Repeat lions breath three times and move on with fierce energy.

MOVE OVER, MONKEY MIND; MAKE ROOM FOR CREATIVITY AND CLARITY

Creativity comes from a clear mind that feels like it has room to expand. When our mind feels like it's running in circles and there's just too much happening in our brains, we need to clear out and start with a clean slate. It's like opening a window, letting the stale air out, hearing the birds chirp (and the bees hum!), and bringing in a fresh, clear energy to start anew. Clarity is important in both your intention setting as well as your communication. In an article titled “Clarity: Your First Priority,” Success.com columnist and author Tony Jeary defines clarity in business as follows: “From a leadership perspective, clarity means having an unfettered view of your vision, which is what you want and why you want it, fed by an understanding of its purpose and value. In the old days, executives didn't see any need to explain the why. They simply expected people to fall in line and do what they were told. But when people understand the why of things (the purpose and value), the combination produces a level of clarity that has enough influence or pull to actually become motivational. It becomes the fuel of voluntary change that enables you to be pulled toward your vision, rather than pushed.”³⁰ Having clarity allows you to move forward and take action from a place of strength and confidence. Breathe into clarity and creativity.

Ingredients: Bumble bee breath, closed eyes

Recipe: Take a seat. Shoulders up and back. Start by closing your eyes and taking a deep breath. Inhales and exhales are through the nose. Raise both hands, palms facing you at the height of your eyes. Place each thumb on the cartilage of your ear (left thumb on left ear, right thumb on right ear) and gently press it closed. Put the rest of your fingers over each of your eyes. So, all four fingers of each hand are covering each eye and the thumb is gently closing the ear. Take a long inhale through your nose, and as you exhale, make a humming sound, similar to a buzzing bee. Continue exhaling until you are empty of oxygen. Repeat for 3–5 cycles as you completely clear your head and make abundant space for clarity and creativity.

GRATITUDE IS THE BEST ATTITUDE

The more you are grateful for what you have,
the more you will have to be grateful for.

— ZIG ZIGLER

Along with breath, focusing on gratitude is always a winning strategy in business and life. When I'm feeling as if I want to focus on only what's missing, this thought brings me back to being appreciative of all the achievements that I've already accomplished. The mental adjustment is enough to completely change your energy into positivity. If you're going through a difficult business situation, move your attention away from what's not happening, or what you're not getting, and focus on the positive aspects of your work that you actually have. Be grateful for the fact that you have your own business, or that you enjoy your work and your colleagues, or that this challenge will lead to something bigger and better.

Ingredients: 3DB, three things you're grateful for, journal (optional)

Recipe: Think of three things that you're grateful for today. Lying down or sitting cross legged, take 3DB, and with each inhale, silently recite one thing that you're grateful for. On the exhale, release any tension. If you want to stick with one thing for all 3DB, that's fine too. Writing in a gratitude journal is a powerful exercise. You might want to grab a journal and begin to repeat this exercise daily while writing down your gratitude list. Shifting into gratitude has brought tremendous rewards to my business life. It took self-awareness to see that I frequently tended to focus on what I needed to get next—always in a cycle of thought about what was missing and how I could get it. Becoming disciplined and making gratitude my new default made a huge difference. The shift in perspective really works.

BUH-BYE TENSION, I'M COOL AS A CUCUMBER

Who doesn't like to feel balanced, patient, grounded, strong, and in charge? I'll take this any day. When you need to get rid of tension or anxiety and get back to feeling cool as a cucumber, alternate nostril breathing always delivers.

Ingredients: Alternate nostril breathing, closed eyes, positive mantra (optional)

Recipe:

1. Close the right nostril with your right thumb and inhale through the left nostril.

2. Close the left nostril with the right hand's ring finger and release the right thumb.

3. Exhale through the right nostril, keeping the left nostril closed.

4. Inhale through the right nostril; close it with the thumb.

5. Release the ring finger from the left side and exhale through the left nostril.

6. Repeat the full cycles for a few rounds of right/left.

I usually do alternate nostril breathing without a mantra because I'm focused on the opening and closing of the nostrils and visualizing my breath. But if you need to have a thought to focus on in order to change your state of mind, try experimenting with it.

This is where the fun begins . . . You're now empowered with the knowledge of how your breath and mind work together in controlling your thoughts, emotion, and energy. You can mix and match any of the breath techniques and multipliers as ready. You don't have to wait for a challenge or annoying situation; the more you want to indulge in enhanced breathing, the better. Begin to use it as simply a way to help you stay on track—a maintenance tool for inner strength and higher energy.

If you're not quite sure where to start, use the recipes to begin. If you're looking for a specific time or place to begin to make some changes, I bet you'll benefit from looking carefully at your digital lifestyle habits (Chapter 4) or your morning routine (Chapter 5).