I learned this one via author Dan Pink's excellent newsletter, and out of gratitude for his sharing it, I'll be telling you a bit about his upcoming book at the end of this post.
So: breathing. I've had smart watches tell me how to do it, I've had books tell me how to do it, I've tried guided meditation (which includes breathing) thanks to this great share from our colleague Camille Napier Berstein.
But here's the deal: when I'm feeling that feeling of pressure in my chest, breathing doesn't always seem to help.
Except, the physiological sigh totally does.
In, In, Hold, Out
The physiological sigh is super simple — that's why Mr. Simple Head over here (yours truly) really appreciates it.
- You just breathe in once (through the nose if possible)
- Then breathe in again (through the nose if possible)
- Then hold it for a bit
- Then exhale (through the mouth if you can)
Where's it come from?
Stanford's Andrew Huberman. Here he is giving it a three-minute explainer:
And I heard about it via author Dan Pink, who has what looks like a profound book coming out in February. You can support his work (and your life's trajectory) via pre-ordering below.
The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward
I'm used to having Dan Pink make me think. But in this book, Dan makes me FEEL. It's poignant, smart, empathetic, kinds, and empowering. I love this book.
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