Moments of Mindfulness

It's not unusual to feel overwhelmed, stressed, or uneasy. Regardless of the source of stress, there are numerous methods to relax, breathe, and soothe your nerves.

Below are two breathing exercises and two mediation exercises that can be practiced daily, weekly, or monthly.

Breathing Exercises

Do you ever feel like you need to just stop and take a beat? Maybe you are wondering how to relax or slow down. A breathing exercise is great way to ground oneself, take a moment of mindfulness, and feel calmness. All breathing exercise are used to relax, reduce stress, help fall asleep, or improve concentration.

4-7-8 Method

A common breathing exercise is the 4-7-8 method. Inhale through the nostrils for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale through the mouth for 8 seconds.

Here is a link to youtube video walking you through the 4-7-8 method.

Box Breathing

Another common breathing exercise is box breathing, also known as square breathing. This method involves inhaling, holding, exhaling, and holidng again. Each sequence is to be held for the same amount of time, usually 4 seconds.

Here is a link to a youtube video walking you through box breathing.

Meditation

Mediation isn't just for religious folks. Anyone with any background can practice mediation. Individuals can gain clarity, find peace, and feel calm. Mediation can improve health, allow for better sleep, and even decrease anxiety and depression. There are many different ways to mediate.

Mantra Meditation

Mantra mediation is exactly what it sounds like. Choose a mantra; sound, phrase, or word to repeat while meditating. There are different types of mantras to chose from, religious or nonreligious.

How to practice mantra mediation is quite simple.

First, you will decide on a mantra you want to repeat. You can make up your own or do a little research to find one. A simple one to start with is "I am enough."

Find a quiet space and get into a comfortable sitting position.

You may decide to set a timer, 2-5 minutes is a good start. Another option is choosing to repeat your mantra a specific amount of times, 5 is a good start.

Close your eyes and focus on your breath, you may decide to practice a breathing exercise here.

Introduce your mantra. During inhalation state your mantra. During exhalation release the mantra.

Once your mantra is complete, gently open your eyes.

That's all! You mediated.

Yoga

Yes, yoga is mediation! You can find yoga classes on youtube, in person, or at your gym.

Sources

“: The Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine.” Arizona.edu, 4 Apr. 2024, awcim.arizona.edu/health_hub/awcimagazine/just_breathe_using_breathwork_for_wellbeing.html. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.

Cleveland Clinic. “Meditation.” Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, 22 May 2022, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17906-meditation. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.

Department of Health & Human Services. “Breathing to Reduce Stress.” Www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au, 30 Sept. 2015, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/breathing-to-reduce-stress. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.

Fletcher, Jenna. “4-7-8 Breathing: How It Works, Benefits, and Uses.” Medical News Today, 12 Feb. 2019, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324417. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.

“Mantra Meditation: What It Is, Benefits, and How to Practice.” Calm Blog, 12 Jan. 2025, www.calm.com/blog/mantra-meditation. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.