Make a Change Monday - Week 12

Before the close of 2014, I signed up for a 52 week challenge that was based on making one small change per week to become a happier and healthier person. This is hosted by a "new to me" site I have been following called the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans.  Click here to go to their challenge page, and check out their site for some other awesome stuff while you are there. This challenge is based off of the book "52 Small Changes: One Year to a Happier, Healthier You" written by Brett Blumenthal.

So this week's change is TAKE A DEEP BREATH!

I know I definitely don't do this enough and I really did not realize the value in taking time every day for deep breathing. The book highlights some of the benefits such as helping to relieve stress, lowering blood pressure and aiding in digestion. The author also says that by not breathing deeply, we are more susceptible to tension headaches because we are using our neck and shoulders to lift our rib cage instead of using our abdominal muscles when we deep breathe.  

So the author recommends taking time once per day to breathe deeply. And here are his tips for accomplishing this:

1. Sit comfortably with your back straight.  Sitting cross-legged is often a position used.
2. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
3. Take a deep breath through your nose.  The hand on your stomach should rise, while the hand on your chest should move very little if at all.
4. Exhale through your mouth pushing out as much air as you can while contracting your abdominal muscles and pulling your belly button into your spine.  The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little.
5. Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.  Try to inhale enough so your lower abdomen continues to rise and fall.
6. Continue to do this for a total of ten breaths or until you feel relaxed.

I am really excited to try this throughout the week!  I know I have been feeling very stressed lately and this may be a key in helping relieve some of that stress!!!

So here is a summary of our weekly changes so far:

Week 1 - Drink half of your body weight in ounces everyday.

Week 2 - Get 7-8 hours of GOOD sleep each night.

Week 3 - Implement regular and routine activity into your lifestyle.

Week 4 - Keep a food journal.

Week 5 - Develop an optimistic outlook.

Week 6 - Take a multi-vitamin.

Week 7 - Keep the outside out. 

Week 8 - Eat your veggies.

Week 9 - Enjoy time alone.

Week 10 - Take time to stretch

Week 11 - Read the box.

Week 12 - Take a deep breath

By making one small change each week this year, we will be making huge steps towards becoming happier and healthier!

I am still on the search for more stories to share for Transformation Tuesday! If you would like a chance to tell your story, click here to fill out the form. I LOVE seeing all of the inspiration and we have to lift each other up! We are all in this together!

Sending you all love and healthy wishes!

Keep Losing,

Kari