Your Breath Is the Bridge: A Grounding Practice for Uncertain Times

I've written about breath work before but I think we all need it more now than ever. In these wildly expensive and deeply uncertain times, most of us are holding our breath—physically, emotionally, financially. We're bracing ourselves, paycheck to paycheck, moment to moment. And while that’s understandable, it’s also unsustainable. We must find space to breathe or stress will take its tole on us!

Why Breath Work Matters (More Than Just Staying Alive)

Yes, breath is necessary for survival. Oxygen in, carbon dioxide out—that’s basic human chemistry. But breath is so much more than just exchange.

Breath gives your body literal space.

Without deep, intentional breathing, your ribcage becomes rigid. Tension and tightness settle in, constricting everything you do. The ribs—literal bones—begin to lock down. And in between each rib are small muscles (your intercostals), which, like any muscle, need stretch and movement to stay functional.

When you stop breathing deeply, your ribs pull inward. They get sticky. Stiff. Closed. You lose mobility—and without mobility, you lose access to other parts of your body: your core, your pelvis, even your nervous system’s sense of safety.

So if you want more flexibility, more range of motion, more physical freedom?

You have to start with your breath.

And the bonus? Deep breath gives your nervous system a moment to settle—so you can take the next right step in your stress management journey.

What Happens When You Actually Start to Breathe

When you finally take a full, rib-expanding breath, expect a few things:

• Coughing. Your body’s way of clearing space.

• Soreness. Especially in your chest, neck, shoulders, back, or belly.

• Tightness or asymmetry. One side might feel numb, the other overworked.

• Sound. Wheezing, cracking, stretching—all signs something’s waking up.

Your breath will show you where you're holding.

When you reach what you think is your max breath, explore what happens when you shrug your shoulders, push your belly out, or reach higher into your ribs.

There’s almost always more space to discover—and a stretch to be had.

Breath as the Bridge Between Conscious and Unconscious

Your body already breathes without you. That’s the magic of it.

But when you choose to breathe—when you slow down, feel your belly expand, and explore the full range of your inhale—you reconnect two powerful parts of yourself:

→ Your conscious attention→ Your unconscious survival

I often say:

“The inhale is how we create space, and the exhale is how we take up space.”

Movement + breath = consent and alignment. If you're moving without breathing, you may be distributing forces unevenly—overworking or over-recruiting certain parts of your body without realizing it.

A Real Moment: “Are Most Breaths Supposed to Be Belly Breaths?”

A client once asked me, “Are most of our breaths supposed to be belly breaths?”

I blinked.“All of your breaths should be belly breaths—unless you're in danger.”

He paused.“Oh… wow.”

That’s what stress does. It tells your body it’s not safe to breathe deeply.

It robs you of access to your belly, your diaphragm, your pelvic floor, and your core. It replaces freedom with constriction. Mobility with defense.

My Story: From Fight-or-Flight to Full Belly Breath

I lived in fight, flight, freeze, and fawn for the first 27 years of my life.

Now? My environment isn’t perfect—but it’s mine. I don’t have everything I want. But I do have freedom. I have energy. I have this burning desire to create, to move, and to help people reconnect to themselves through movement.

And I’ve finally learned to trust my breath again.Not because everything is fixed.Not because life is 100% safe.But because I am free enough to choose how I meet myself.

And that’s everything.

Let’s Get Pancake-y: A Simple Breath Practice

We are, quite literally, 98% water—so yes, we’re like pancakes.

When you pour batter into a hot pan, it spreads out evenly… until you flip it. You’ve got to do both sides.

When we lay flat and submit to gravity, we spread too. But here’s the hard part: we have to release. Release the guarding, the clenching, the resistance to letting gravity hold us.

Here’s how to start:

🥞 Side One: Belly Breathing on Your Back

1. Lie on your back.Bend your knees, feet flat. Place both hands on your belly.

2. Inhale slowly.Breathe into your hands—into your belly. If your chest is rising instead, no worries—just keep practicing.

3. Bear down gently.Push your belly out like you’re going to the bathroom (yes, really). This activates your lower abdominal muscles and makes space for your diaphragm to drop and expand.

4. Notice the shape change.This might round your lower spine and create a stretching sensation in your belly and pelvic floor. You might even feel your hips rotate or your adductors stretch. Let it happen.

🥞 Side Two: Belly Breathing on Your Stomach

1. Roll over onto your belly.Turn your head to one side. Let your body melt down.

   (If this feels like a lot on your neck—which it often is—try scooting your torso slightly to one side. This can give your neck more room.)

2. Stretch your arms out in a T.Notice if one side feels tighter. Explore sensations through your chest, shoulder, bicep, forearm, and palm.

   Depending on the direction your head is facing, the stretch may intensify or shift. That’s okay. Be curious.

3. Inhale deeply.Push your belly into the floor. Let your solar plexus rest heavy. Aim to feel contact through your ribs, belly, and hips.

4. Explore your range.Adjust your arm position—higher or lower than shoulder height. Breathe into your sternum, your fingertips, your throat. Let your body tell you where it wants release.

   The goal isn’t symmetry—it’s awareness.

5. 
   

Let Your Breath Tell the Truth

If your chest won’t settle…If your belly feels foreign and taught and constricted…If your exhale catches and you cough…

That’s not failure. That’s your body letting you know it’s still in protection mode.

Your wise body is holding tension for a reason. It will take time—and repetition—for it to release. But it will- with time and practice.

Belly breathing isn’t just about oxygen.It’s about reclaiming your space, rediscovering your knowing, and remembering your power to choose how you show up—right now.

You don’t need to be in pain to begin.

You just have to be present and curious.