Mayada

“How to Perform Paced Breathing

Paced breathing is a slow, regular rate of deep breathing. There are three main points to keep in mind when practicing:

1. Breathe slowly. Concentrate on slowing the rate of your breathing to eight or ten breaths per minute.

2. Inhale and exhale through your nose. It is more difficult to take shallow breaths from the upper chest when you breathe through your nose. This keeps you from hyperventilating.

3. Choose a neutral word to focus on while practicing paced breathing. The words “one,” “calm,” and “relax” work well. Each time you exhale, say the word in your mind. This will assist in keeping your breathing evenly paced, and will help to reduce the chances of interfering thoughts.

During the day, when you are not practicing paced breathing, alternate paced and normal breathing. Every single breath you take does not have to come from the diaphragm. There should be a natural rhythm between chest breathing and diaphragm breathing. Find a comfortable balance but do more diaphragmatic breathing than you usually do.

Tony is at a local law office to interview for an internship. He wants to become a trial lawyer. He is very excited by the thought of working professionally, but is so anxious about the interview that he feels lightheaded and numb. He is afraid he won’t be able to say what he wants to, and that his answers will be incorrect.
As he waits for the interviewer, Tony starts to concentrate on slowing the rate of his breathing. With only a few deep breaths, his mind clears and his racing heart calms. He feels more relaxed and is confident.”
― Heather Moehn, Social Anxiety

“علينا أن نخادع العالم كله لنحصل على شيء كان يمكن أن نحصل عليه كما نشتهيه لو عرفنا كيف نتصرف .”
― واسيني الأعرج, طوق الياسمين

“ماذا يحدث عندما يخذلنا يقيننا ؟ عندما نتوقف في منتصف الطريق ونتذكر فجأة أننا نسينا شيئاً مهماً فنعود ركضاً نبحث عنه ، وعندما نصل لا نجده ؟ ماذا يحدث عندما يمر حبنا عادياً ورتيباً أمام أعيننا لأننا نعيشه ثم فجأة عندما ينطفئ نشعر ليس فقط بعمق الخسارة والفقدان ولكن العزلة ولا جدوى الحياة !”
― واسيني الأعرج, طوق الياسمين

“The distinction between "assistant" and intern" is a simple one: assistants are paid, interns are not.

But of course interns are paid, in experience.”
― Joyce Carol Oates, Beasts