We just kicked off our first virtual event of the year with a mindfulness workshop on breathing. Our speaker Molly Black is a Mindfulness Teacher trained in Mindful Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Molly helps people create healthy relationships with themselves through yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. Many years ago Molly was working a very intense job that led her to burn out, so she transitioned to teaching mindfulness, and she hasn’t looked back! Here are the key takeaways from our conversation:

1. 4-7-8 breath technique: Begin by practicing the 4-7-8 breath, a soothing exercise to promote relaxation. Inhale for a count of 4, hold for 7, and exhale for 8. Repeat this cycle three times, allowing yourself to set a comfortable pace. 
2. Diaphragmatic breathing! Here’s how to do it: if it’s comfortable, put a hand on the belly and one on the heart (or both hands face down on the legs). Breathe into the belly through the nose and expand the belly. Then exhale out of your mouth and let the belly fall. Repeat 3-6 times. 
3. Breath of joy, a somatic exercise that helps to stimulate your sympathetic nervous system and get energy flowing.
4. To calm your nerves,
   – Get outside.
   – Move your body.
   – Change your environment.
   – Utilize the 54321 method, a grounding exercise where you identify 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.
5. Meditate daily with Molly on Insight Timer! You will find Yoga Nidra and Body Scan meditations here which are great for sleep and grounding.
6. Remember to explore what works best for you! Experimentation and openness are key to finding the right routine for you.

To learn more, visit Molly’s website, IG or you can send her an email at wellnesswithmollyb@gmail.com!

Sign up for our next virtual event on aging gracefully here.