How in the world did I end up here?

Stick a fork in me I am done!

There is nothing left of me to give.

My well is dry...

If the previous phrases have ever crossed your mind we are kindred spirits. And as such, I would like to invite you to join me on my quest for enlightenment (refilling the well). For me, the image of the well represents my soul. Your well may symbolize your inner self or whatever you wish to fill. In the end you are spending one of our most valuable assets time searching for a way to replenish that which has turned to dust.

How I ended up here is complicated, but if you boil it down, the simple fact is I didn't take care of myself. With so many demands in our fast pace world we survive by multitasking. Some individuals have perfected multitasking into an art form. You know exactly which people I am referring to: eyes sparkle, physically fit, smile, laugh, they 're always on top of their game. What is their secret? The vibrant people we encounter, place taking care of themselves at the top of their to do list. Others place themselves down the list of priorities, sometimes it's the last item. Eventually, taking time for ourselves no longer even appears at the bottom of the page.

While in nursing school I used to watch another student take scheduled breaks. I couldn't figure out how she completed all of her assignments on clinical days. My stomach growled but I continued to march forward. My mouth was so dry I could have spit cotton but still I continued ignoring my body. It was my responsibility to see that my patients were taken care of properly. This student had several traits I didn't have a grasp on like effective time management. And the most important aspect of her personality, she took care of herself which resulted in a job well done with less stress.

The saying 'if you don't take care of yourself, you can't take care of any one else' is demonstrated each time we travel by air. The stewardess gives her speech regarding air bags, secure your own first and then assist the person next to you. Common sense, right? Common sense left the building. We continue to put an endless list of people, jobs, chores, and so on before ourselves. We take our common sense for granted just like our breathing.This brings us to the first step of our journey. Breathing.

Breathing occurs mostly as an unconscious action. Consider your breathing for a moment. Most likely it is relatively shallow and slow. When we exert ourselves it becomes fast and labored. With a single exhaled breath we can convey emotions like disgust, surprise, and excitement. Since forever, I have been a chest breather, someone who holds their abdominal muscles in, only inhaling to the end of my chest. An example of how we should breath effectively is the way a baby inhales with full belly breaths.

How many times have you made the conscious choice to take slow deep breaths when you were out of air or to calm down under stress? Often we instruct others to do the same. We can benefit our well being by simply taking a few minutes out of our day to develop an awareness of the breaths taken. By allowing our self time to breath we can influence how the remainder of our day will play out. Inhaling deep and then exhaling we are able to focus our mind, emotions, and spirit.

The assignment for step one of our quest:

Put Your Name back at the Top of the to do list! Spend a few minutes each morning (before you even get out of the bed) taking slow deep breaths and repeat the process when laying down each night. Articles on breathing exercises, meditation, time management, as well as, other practices utilized in refilling our well, will be posted for your encouragement.