'Breathe' is your reminder, to not just breathe, but to live. To remind yourself to feel like you're living, not just surviving your days. Truly living life doesn't just happen easily for most of us, its a choice you have to make and it starts with setting an intention to live life with purpose and joy. It might sound big and ominous but I'll share with you how I easily do this each and every day. Through repetition it will become a habit and feel intuitive and then you'll notice that you are living closer and close to the way you want to be and feel.
Our human bodies know instinctively how to breathe but our mind can forget how to consciously breathe. Remembering to slow your breath and to fill your tummy with air, not your lungs and exhale for longer than you breathe in can be a powerful tool to use. When I wake each morning the first thing I do is roll onto my back and start to breathe in for 5 seconds, then I hold it for 6 seconds and finally I slowly breathe out for 7 seconds. I do this until my alarm goes off again and I know its time to get up. It really is the most wonderful way to slowly wake up and start my day with intention.
My day actually starts the night before in bed as I've learnt how to re-programme my subconscious to remind myself how to live by journalling and answering the following questions:
'Did I live today?'
'Did I love today?'
'Did I make a difference?'
It's a rare day that I can't find the answers to these questions as I've learnt to recognise that the smallest ways to live, love and make a difference are what makes up the feeling of truly living.
It can be as small as 'Today I lived by recognising I was tired and was in need of a rest. So I lay down on my studio floor and put my feet up against the wall with the sun coming in and falling over my body. It was wonderful, and it worked'
Others are 'I loved today by remembering to use humour with the boys when trying (repeatedly) to get them to do tasks. Once I used humour there was connection between us and they easily did as they were asked.'
and even as simple as
'I loved today by rubbing my daughters back at bedtime without her asking me to.'
and finally
'I made a difference today by not hurrying my boy along constantly about being late to school as he had been refusing to get out of bed. Instead I stayed calm, supportive and patient and that transferred to him.'
What will you do today to live?
Can you take the time now to breathe consciously for a few moments?
Breathe into your tummy through your nose, fill it up with air, not your lungs and then breathe out your nose.
Breathe in for 5. Hold for 6. Breathe out for 7.
Details:
‘Breathe' is an original watercolour fine artwork painted on 300gsm Artistico hot pressed professional paper
Art size: 70 x 50cm
Framed size: 95 x 75cm
Available framed in natural timber, white, charcoal or black. Please add your frame choice into the comments at check out or email me to discuss your preferences. I'm only too happy to recommend framing options to suit your artwork and interior style.
Shipping:
Allow 2 - 4 days for your unframed artwork to be packaged with the utmost of care and to ship.
Framed artwork can take 2 - 4 weeks to ship depending on my framer. Framed paintings are only available to be shipped within New Zealand due to the fragility of glass.
Original artwork may be collected from my home studio in Wanaka, New Zealand. Enter the code COLLECT at checkout to receive free shipping to pick up your artwork in person.
