How to Celebrate Moms & Breath on Mother’s Day
Who’s got time for better breathing? When the day is already planned out and dialed in down to the minute, how do you find a moment to yourself, let alone time to practice breathing? And what about the time it will take to *learn* how to breathe better?
Time out.
Before we answer those questions, let’s back up for a second.
We have a breathing problem.
We’re breathing into our chests instead of our bellies, which increases stress and anxiety, which makes it really hard to maintain a positive mindset, focus, and peace of mind.
At the most basic level, if we can balance our inhale and exhale, and breathe in for the same amount of time we breathe out, we’re already making progress.
If we spend 2 minutes of our morning just thinking about the breath, we’re already making progress.
If we tune into those moments of anxiety and stress and are able to hit pause, and slow down just one exhale, we are making progress and breathing better.
So back to the first question:
How can we make time to breathe better?
Today, you will take more than 23,000 breaths. Each one represents a chance to change, a chance to breathe better, and chance to take control of anxiety and stress and give yourself a simple and effective way to find some peace of mind.
Think about one breath today. Take one slow inhale into the belly, focus on a slow exhale, and you will have taken the first step. Once you make a habit of thinking about breathing, you’ll have an anchor to a calm state of mind.
We know it sounds way too simple. But that’s the beauty of it: one breath can make a difference. And from there, it just continues to blossom, ultimately leading to a more resilient, more peaceful you.
The Secret to Breathing Better: the Slow Exhale
We’ve always talked about counting to 10 or taking a deep breath when stress hits.
And that’s partly true. If you can recognize you’re experiencing an anxious or stressful moment, and match that moment with a deep breath, you’re halfway there.
But the slow exhale is the key.
By slowing down your exhale, you switch your body from a stressed out state
to a more calm, focused state.
Founder Story: “I was drowning in anxiety.”
Vanessa Steinberg is a co-founder of Komuso Design, mom of two, wife to fellow Komuso co-founder Todd, boss boss, creative lead, and all-around badass.
Before discovering the power of the breath, before creating the Shift, she was struggling with anxiety, and yearning for a way to better connect to her loved ones and a calm state of mind.
Moms on Motherhood, Mom Stigmas and Breathing
As we started thinking about how to celebrate moms this Mother’s Day, Vanessa wanted to give back to moms and help them not only understand the power of the breath, but also break down some of the common misconceptions concerning moms and anxiety and work and the daily routine.
Vanessa called her friend, fellow mom and entrepreneur, JJ (@sweetolivestreet), for a casual catch up where they cover the simple and effective tools and techniques (breathing included) that have helped them more easily maintain peace of mind throughout the process of being mom, boss, wife, woman, creative, foundation, inspiration, and beyond, somehow all at once.
We hope you enjoy this conversation ("Let's Talk Mom Life" video) as they talk through their journey, what it takes to adapt the daily routine and breathe better, the milestones of this transformation, and the path ahead, the questions below, and more.
Here's just a glimpse of what Vanessa and JJ cover in their conversation:
- Is being a mom harder than you thought it was going to be?
- Describe the relationship with your thoughts and being a mom (how does it differ from before motherhood?)
- What is it like balancing your child and work?
- How has COVID changed your life as a mother?
- Do you notice when your thoughts are spiraling to a dangerous place? How do you manage it?
- Has your relationship with your body changed? How do you stay in a positive place?
- How do you relax? Does it work?
- How do you avoid feeling like you’re not giving your child/career/husband/self, enough of you?
- Should ‘peace of mind’ come first in your life as a mom? If yes, why is that so hard?
- Do you ever feel alone (like nobody else can understand what is expected from you) through this journey?
- Are you hard on yourself and why?
- When you feel exhausted, what do you tell yourself?
- How has breathing impacted your life as a mother?
- What’s your advice for other mothers out there?
- What does a good day look like for you?
What Mom stigma do you want to tackle?
Do you hear or see questions about being a mom and working and breathing and anxiety that is outdated, frustrating, or just plain wrong?
Hit us up on social and let us know what Mom stigma you want to break down.
Vanessa will continue to build out this content and may reach out to you for
your help in breaking down these stigmas @komusodesign
What’s Next: We Don’t Stop
As we celebrate moms on Mother’s Day, Vanessa wanted to make sure we didn’t stop because the day had come and gone. We will maintain focus and provide year-round support for moms.
So this is day one.
We’re excited to share some new developments soon. Please stay tuned.