When I was little and feeling angry or frustrated, I was told "take a deep breath and count to ten". I never wanted to do that, I wanted to express my emotion, to let it out of me. I am older now and I am learning the importance of that phrase. To stop and take a deep breath in, and a long, slow exhale doesn't mean I am abandoning my feeling of anger, frustration, annoyance or irritation, it means I am holding that emotion. That I care enough to give it time to express itself to me, to look deeper at where this emotion is coming from.
I may not actually count to ten, but I breathe.
I breathe deeply.
I look deeply.
And when I am ready, I act.
Enjoy your breath :)
