Messages in the Air…how fall air can decrease stress

The crisp air on my morning walk reminded me that fall is here. The leaves are beginning to blush as they see change coming. The transition between seasons is magnificent when we fully notice the signs.  

Taking a deep breath, I spontaneously engaged in a practice known to decrease the stress hormone, cortisol.  AND… I really enjoyed it.

Rather than being an extra chore to check off my list, I simply improved my health in an entirely spontaneous, easy, and completely pleasurable manner. 

I was reminded how easily we can see mindfulness as another chore or “should-do”.  

Boosting your brain does not have to be an arduous duty. 

It is simply a beautiful part of making life really good.  

We have to breathe. Why not ENJOY it!

I thought back to the time when I began to understand how much I relished the change of seasons and the messages in the air. 

As a teenager, my family moved to Kailua, Hawaii from Wyoming in the month of November. A cold snap hit Wyoming with a ferocious bite as we were packing up to move.  My maternal grandfather had driven his RV and a trailer from Colorado to empty our home and transport it to his ranch.  Hauling a household on a plane wasn’t an option, and we weren’t sure how long we would be there.  Not a fan of the bitter cold, having lost thousands of his cattle in the blizzard of ‘49, he cussed through the entire process.

The air was so bitterly cold that the tape would not stick to the boxes we packed.  We had to resort to twine which was frustrating to tie with fingers numbed by the cold. Clumsy knots had to suffice in closing and securing the boxes.  It is a miracle the wind did not blow every box off of the trailer.

We thawed as we drove to California and when I stepped off the plane for the first time into the plumeria-scented air of Hawaii, I was entranced.  It was pitch black, but I was astounded by the rich fragrant air.  I still relish that moment as I walk off the plane each and every time.  I have become more aware of the signature of the air every time I travel.  It is one of the beautiful features of stepping into a new land.  I walk down the jetway with the intent to adjust and note the unique qualities of the atmosphere.  I breathe in the new landscape as I step away from the plane.

Air holds so much information that we often neglect by resorting to our reliance on sight.  We allow a rich milieu of detail to be filtered away and miss the insights they hold.  This is our mind on auto drive doing its basic job of using the least amount of resources to survive.

But, I am not alive just to survive.

I want to thrive in every port, and relish my first steps across that threshold.

One of the best attributes of our minds is that we can take control of it.  It does not have to remain on autopilot. We can learn to relax and expand our awareness beyond survival mode.  We can practice expanding our attention and become mindful rather than robotic, which is the mind’s default mode.  The benefit of that goes beyond simple pleasures to exercising our ability to attend, which is extremely important in our ability to focus.  

So, by simply enjoying a fragrant breath of air we decrease stress AND flex our focus muscles.  

As the season changes, I encourage you to notice the messages in the air.  

What are they telling you about how to thrive?  

You need not travel to hear them.  

Listen to the drum of autumn, celebrate the gift of being here to hear it, and live another day with less stress.

Just breathe.

Need a personal touch to guide you through more ways to foster your mind?  

A limited number of personal coaching spots are available. For a custom approach and accountability coach, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.  

The power of the mind is limitless when you simply begin the journey.  

It would be my honor to help.  

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