For a few months now, I find that I’ve been . . . waiting to exhale. I am holding off on . . . doing X or thinking about Y or planning Z. Which gives me more time to sit around, frozen and miserable, while anticipating, ruminating, stewing, and creating ever-more frightening scenarios in my mind.

And, of course, spending less time doing the very things that might make me feel better.

Like exhaling.

It’s the election bullshit, of course. I just feel so unsettled and uncertain that I don’t want to move on until I have a better sense of what’s going to happen next. And, really . . . I know better. (Because the future is always unsettled and uncertain. We just all pretend that it isn’t.) Holding our breath when we’re anxious is actually bad for our health — physical and mental.

So today I’m here to remind you to . . . breathe. Big breaths in, big breaths out. When we exhale – like really exhale – we can feel our bodies relax. Even for just a moment.

And, while you’re at it, DO something you’ve been “waiting” to do. (Y’know. Like actually making decisions about new living room furniture. Just sayin.)

Go ahead.
Let yourself exhale.

No matter what the future brings, we’re still going to need to breathe!

Learn how to exhale, the inhale will take care of itself.
— Carla Melucci Ardito

(PS This post falls into the category of the-photos-have-nothing-to-do-with-the-content. Happy Halloween!)