Breathe.

I was practicing these yoga postures for spine health with this video on YouTube, and the instructor said something that really resonated with me:

"When the stretch is intense, the inclination is to hold your breath. But, if you take nice, deep breaths, it will allow you to relax into the stretch and really release that tension."

Whenever we find ourselves in challenging situations in life, I think we can unconsciously hold our breath, either literally or figuratively. We may find ourselves paralyzed with a choice to make, not knowing which direction to go. When we feel tense in the spot we're in, there is something to be said about breathing. Because breathing is something we do every single moment, perhaps we do neglect its value. But to really take the time out of those millions of moments to inhale and exhale long and deep can work wonders. I'll bet that rush of oxygen does something restorative in our bodies, minds, and spirits.

So, quite simply folks, don't forget to breathe!

A list of my favorite breath-related lyrics/songs that specifically relate to this idea of releasing tension through breath:

"All we can do is keep breathing, now." - Ingrid Michaelson's "Keep Breathing"

"And, breathe, just breathe" - Anna Nalick's "Breathe (2 AM)"

And, last but not least, my favorite:

"If I just breathe - let it fill the space between, I'll know everything is alright. Breathe. Every little piece of me, you'll see everything is alright. If I just breathe." - Michelle Branch's "Breathe"