Why this artefact was Included
The writer includes strategies that helped them develop the responding flexibly competency. Reading about what helped them was insightful for my own competency development journey.
Response Flexibility – Choosing How We Respond To Challenges Written by: Lily Breuning Ellis, Executive Contributor
Breuning Ellis, L. (2023). Response Flexibility – Choosing How We Respond To Challenges. [online] Brainz Magazine. Available at: https://www.brainzmagazine.com/post/response-flexibility-choosing-how-we-respond-to-challenges [Accessed 6 Nov. 2024].
She made significant decisions and changes to live her life by choice, not by reacting to her surroundings. She became focused on building her ability to choose her responses, being intentional to fill her life with positive emotions and approaches. Now, she's much better at responding flexibly to challenges rather than reacting impulsively.
Become breath intelligent: Stress changes how we breathe; prolonged stress keeps our body in a constant state of alertness, leading to fast and shallow breaths. This increases cortisol and adrenaline, rewiring our brains and affecting our behavior, resulting in a reactive way of living. To manage life's unpredictability, we must become aware of our breathing and adjust it to create a sense of calm. "Breath intelligence" is about using our breath to control our nervous system and create space to choose our responses, acting as a handbrake when life's intensity gets overwhelming.
Beautiful Breathing: Optimal breathing is free and supports the body efficiently. It involves deep inhales and full expansion of the lungs, speeding up the heart rate. On exhale, the breath is released, relaxing the body and slowing the heart rate. This variation in heart rate, known as heart-rate variability (HRV), indicates resilience and longevity. Stressful breathing lacks HRV, leading to a constant state of alertness.
When relaxed, breathing is slow, deep, and measured, focusing on the exhale and involving movement around the lower ribs and abdomen rather than the neck and shoulders. This type of breathing reduces stress, activates the rational brain, and helps us respond thoughtfully to life's challenges, promoting a calm and deliberate approach.
Daily practice: To improve your heart-rate variability (HRV), practice a technique called Coherent Breath by inhaling slowly for 5 counts and exhaling smoothly for 5 counts for 5 minutes, at least three times a day. This reduces stress levels significantly and has lasting effects. Regular practice helps:
Make slow, deep breathing your natural pattern
Tone the vagus nerve for quicker relaxation on exhale
Lower overall stress throughout the day
Breath intelligence is a powerful way to manage anxiety, allowing you to choose your responses and develop the ability to respond flexibly.
Short Reflection On Its Value
I've realized that living intentionally and choosing my responses rather than reacting makes a big difference. By focusing on positive emotions and approaches, I can handle challenges more thoughtfully. I've also learned that stress affects our breathing, making it shallow and keeping us in a constant state of alertness. By becoming "breath intelligent," I can use my breath to calm my nervous system and choose my responses.
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