Are you having a great time growing your business right now, or are you feeling stressed?
Growing a business takes a lot of energy and commitment, especially in the first couple of years. Yes, at times it can feel like hard work and you may notice your stress levels skyrocket.
Entrepreneurs often feel overwhelmed and confused. Lots of times we don’t tell anyone how we’re feeling. You might lay awake at night staring at the ceiling trying to figure out what to do next. Or you might get addicted to starting but not finishing. These open loops always make you look and feel busy, but you don’t get traction and you make little, if any, progress.
Stress is a fact of life, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Some stress is good (eustress) and some not so good. We’ll talk more about good stress and bad stress another day. For today, here’s one easy little thing you can do to manage your stress.
Breathe.
This isn’t just any kind of breathing. It’s breathing through your nose.
Try it for yourself. First, close your mouth and breathe slowly through your nose. Notice what happens as you inhale and exhale.
Now open your mouth and do the same. Do you feel the difference? The nose breathing is deeper, it expands the lower part of your lungs and you will feel your belly rising. The mouth breathing is shallower and focusses more in the upper part of your lungs.
Now here’s why nose breathing is effective at reducing stress.
Breathing into the lower part of your lungs opens calming receptors and stimulates neurotransmitters such as serotonin, and dopamine (the feel-good hormones). In addition, by stimulating the vagus nerve you trigger the “rest and restore” function in your body which lowers stress.
On the other hand, mouth breathing, which is shallow breathing, triggers the stress receptors in the upper area of your lungs. Mouth breathing literally makes your body create more stress hormones.
Hope this quick tip helps you manage the stresses of your life. If you’re feeling overwhelmed let’s work together.
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