Can You Breathe?

We all have a basic instinct for survival, which tells us to breathe – before all else – because unless we are breathing nothing else matters. Have you thought much about the breath, and what it does for you? There are three very important points about breath.

1. The breath coming in by itself does not denote survival. To survive, release toxins and circulate blood you also release the breath. This is why coaches say that when you are stressed, you need to stop, think, and

BREATHE. We literally forget to breathe in stressful circumstances! This

is one reason exercise is so good for us. As much as for muscle tone, fitness, heart health and a great bod, exercise promotes deep, sustaining, cleansing breath.

2. I have a friend who used to laugh at himself and say he was “breathing all the air” around him, because he was sensitive to the fact that sometimes he would only talk, and not listen. So, when we are talking (breathing all the air) are we also listening (breathe out)?

3. Is what you are doing with your life, and your career, as “natural as breathing?” Is it a part of your natural talent, and does your work flow from you as easily as breath does?

Realistically, not 100% of any job will be that easy, of course. But at least some of it should be, unless you’re brand new to the job. If not, you may have reason to reflect on your choice of career. Work should be a natural extension of who we are, not a battle between our natural desires and the time clock. We have to work. (Even the apostle Paul had to make tents to support his preaching.) But we are under no obligation to be miserable all day! And if we are doing something that fits our God-given talent, we’ll be better at it, and therefore more successful. Of course, this isn’t a new idea. Think about it. Is it as easy as breathing?