Hi,
I'm Mary.
If you're here,
You're probably feeling that familiar tension.
Maybe your shoulders are creeping up towards your ears.
Your mind is racing with your to-do list,
Or you just need a moment to reset before your next meeting.
I get it.
I spent 25 years in the British film industry,
And I know what it feels like when your nervous system is stuck in overdrive.
The good news?
You don't need an hour-long meditation to shift this.
You just need five minutes and the right approach.
Let's start exactly where you are.
You don't need to change your position,
Close your eyes or do anything special.
Just bring your attention to your breath as it is right now.
Notice you are breathing up in your chest.
Are your shoulders tense?
There's no judgment here.
Your nervous system is just doing what it thinks it needs to do to keep you safe.
Now we're going to work with your vagus nerve.
Think of it as your body's built-in reset button.
This nerve connects your brain to your heart,
Lungs and digestive system.
When we activate it properly,
We can shift from that always-on state into calm alertness.
Let's begin with the 4-7-8 breath.
This isn't just relaxation,
This is nervous system regulation.
Breathe in through your nose for 4 counts.
1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold for 7 counts.
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8.
Exhale through your mouth for 8 counts.
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8.
Good.
Let's do that again.
It's going to take some practice and don't worry if you need to stop and start at any moment.
Now,
In for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Hold for 6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Out for 8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Once again,
Inhale for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Hold for 7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Out for 8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
You may notice that the quality of your breath changes.
Try and manage the quality of your breath from the beginning to the end.
And even and equal regulation in the release and the retention,
The hold of the breath.
Inhale for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold 7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Out for 8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Notice what's happening in your body.
Maybe your shoulders are dropping slightly.
Maybe there's a softening around your eyes.
This is your parasympathetic nervous system coming online.
Let's continue.
Let's count in for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Hold 7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Out for 8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Perfect.
Now just breathe naturally and notice how you feel.
Your nervous system has shifted.
You might feel more grounded,
More present and clearer in your thinking.
This is what's possible when you give your nervous system what it actually needs.
You haven't stopped being productive or ambitious.
You've just regulated your system so you can access your best thinking and decision making.
Before you move back into your day,
Take a moment to acknowledge what you just did for yourself.
You prioritised your nervous system health and that's not selfish,
That's smart.
You can return to this reset any time you need it.
Your body remembers,
Your nervous system learns.
Take one more conscious breath and when you're ready,
Gently return your attention to your surroundings.
Remember,
Small resets like this stack up over time.
You've just invested in your long term resilience.
Thank you for taking this time for yourself.
You deserve to feel calm and clear in your daily life.
