What do you do to ease anxiety? Have you ever tried breath work?
I travel a lot. Some for business, more for pleasure, and much of that travel is by plane. While I’m kind of a pro by now at packing, snacking, and traveling light, I am not a fan of turbulence.
My most recent flight was a bumpy one, with a little white knuckling for a bit. I turned on a guided breathing segment to distract myself and calm my nerves.
Inhale for 4 seconds. Hold for 4 seconds. Exhale for 4 seconds. Hold for 4 seconds.
Inhale for 4 seconds. Hold for 4 seconds. Exhale for 4 seconds. Hold for 4 seconds.
Inhale for 4 seconds. Hold for 4 seconds. Exhale for 4 seconds. Hold for 4 seconds.
Let me tell you: it helped. I was so focused on the counting that I was distracted from the motion, and I could feel the tension slipping away.
This work isn’t just for airplane turbulence but for life turbulence.
Close your eyes. Shut out the noise. Count to four, again and again. A few minutes may not change the circumstance but it may make a world of difference in how you handle it.