Confront underlying emotional pain or past trauma, as simply controlling breathing without addressing these root causes will not lead to lasting change.
Recognize that while physiological stress responses are automatic, you have a choice in how you behave and recover from that stress, allowing for adaptive responses.
Look inwards at your triggers and identify internal insecurities or inadequacies being activated by external stimuli, rather than blaming external factors.
Invest fully in the process of daily activities and personal development, rather than being solely focused on future goals, to find unlimited possibility and presence.
Cultivate joy and presence in mundane daily activities like washing dishes or doing laundry by reframing your perspective and investing in the process.
Practice saying “no” to things you genuinely don’t want to do, even exciting opportunities, as this creates freedom and allows you to focus on what truly aligns with your desires.
Become aware of your breathing patterns to regulate your stress response and overall health, as breath is the remote control to the nervous system.
Use breathwork to change your nervous system state, enabling you to confront deep-seated pain or trauma that keeps you in a wired state.
Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life (e.g., stopping work emails at a set time) to signal to your nervous system that it’s time to switch off and relax.
Engage in a daily 45-minute (or longer) walk, breathing exclusively through your nose and without screens, to build a metabolic foundation, improve stress response, and foster self-awareness.
Practice simple calming breathwork by inhaling and exhaling slowly through your nose, making the exhale slightly longer than the inhale, to comfortably bring down your nervous system.
Engage in a mindful breathing practice by closing your eyes and sequentially focusing on your belly movement (30s), chest movement (30s), and the air moving through your nostrils, allowing breathing to happen naturally without control.
Incorporate a 5-minute calming, grounding breathwork practice into your morning routine to intentionally start your day, regulate your nervous system, and improve metabolic function.
Take short (3-5 minute) breathwork breaks immediately after calls or meetings to regulate your nervous system and prevent accumulating stress throughout the day.
After high-arousal activities (e.g., performing, intense work), find a quiet space to take 5-10 minutes for breathwork to downregulate your nervous system instead of resorting to unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Adopt a bedtime routine similar to children’s (dimming lights, relaxing activities) to signal to your nervous system that it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep.
Prioritize outdoor movement and exposure to morning light, as these practices are critical for aligning with evolutionary biology and improving overall well-being.
Use red light in the evenings and at night (e.g., red filters on screens, red lights in home) to reduce stimulating blue light exposure, which positively impacts the metabolic system and sleep.
Engage in hobbies like creative cooking or outdoor activities to intentionally shift your nervous system state from work mode to a more playful and creative state.
Develop proficiency across all five breathing gears by incorporating moderate to high-intensity mouth breathing (Gear 4) during cardio intervals and power mouth breathing (Gear 5) during strength training. This ensures balanced respiratory system development and optimal oxygen utilization.
Match your breathing patterns to the appropriate level of movement and intensity, allowing your system to adapt and efficiently utilize oxygen, rather than artificially limiting it.
Include strength training at least twice a week to promote mitochondrial development, which is crucial for efficient oxygen utilization and overall metabolic health.
Incorporate variety into your training regimen, as diverse stimuli are more effective for adaptation and growth than repetitive routines.
Use your daily walk as a self-assessment tool to gauge your body’s state and nervous system health, informing decisions about subsequent training intensity or rest.
Reframe your language from “I have to” to “I get to” for daily tasks and situations, fostering a more positive and appreciative mindset.
Aim for emotions to be short-lived responses without carrying baggage from past experiences, allowing you to live in total joy.
Intentionally slow down and examine things that bring excitement to ensure they align with your true desires, preventing engagement in activities you didn’t actually want.
Establish and anchor yourself to core values like authenticity, as they provide a stable foundation for navigating interactions and decisions.
Actively let go of stress responses to avoid chronic stress, which prevents the parasympathetic nervous system from activating and leads to various health issues.
View performance as a path to personal growth, focusing on unlocking mental constructs to identify and overcome limitations.
Prioritize playful and nourishing activities by setting hard boundaries, recognizing their importance for well-being and presence, rather than relegating them to occasional leisure.
Engage in regular physical activity to foster groundedness and presence, as movement is a fundamental component of well-being across various philosophies.
Actively work on your breath as a powerful “hack” to enhance mitochondrial function, which is central to energy production and overall health.
Understand and apply the five-gear breathing system to match your breathing patterns to activity levels (Gear 1-5) for optimal performance.
Prioritize nasal breathing during low-to-moderate intensity activities to enhance fat burning, as nasal breathing promotes aerobic metabolism, which efficiently utilizes fatty acids.
Assess the health of your nervous system by your ability to take a nap after a stress response, as a healthy system can switch off and recover.
Recognize that the quality of your life is determined by the narrative you choose to place on your experiences, not the experiences themselves.
Shift your focus from finding a singular life purpose to actively finding purpose and mindfulness in every activity you undertake.
Focus on changing behavioral patterns, as simply wanting to feel differently without altering behavior (like breathing patterns) is often ineffective.