Smell the Roses. Blow out the Candles.

If your heartbeat spikes to 170 beats per minute, you’re in trouble. 

Your body begins to shut down cognitive and visual processing.
You’re in survival mode, not problem-solving mode, and that’s a huge problem especially if you’re in a life and death scenario.
What you need to be is clear headed. 

When I was in the USMC, I trained how to breathe in anxious moments.
We trained to bring our heart rate back down to at least 150 beats per minute. At 170, your body is in chaos but at 150, it’s confusion.
We can deal with confusion. 

It’s not great but we can handle it because we handle confusion every day. 

To get my heartbeat down I learned combat breathing.
It’s simple: Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds (mouth closed).
Exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.
And repeat, repeat, repeat. 

If you do it long enough, I promise it works.
It will bring your heartrate down. How long it takes is different for everyone but you could feel a noticeable difference after 4 repetitions. 

Sometimes that’s all it takes to bring you back. 

Combat breathing worked for me but that’s not the version I want to leave you with because most people don’t think in seconds when they’re scared. 

They need something they can remember in the middle of stress, in the middle of the hallway, in the middle of a lockdown, in the middle of the classroom, in the middle of a moment that just got out of control.
And so I offer this instead. 

Smell the roses. Blow out the candles. 

That’s how you remind yourself in a moment of fear to breathe.
Smell the roses. Blow out the candles.
Smell the roses. Blow out the candles.
Smell the roses. Blow out the candles.
Smell the roses. Blow out the candles. 

Breathing control is a wellness tip and a survival tool. 

It will help you when you're anxious, afraid, nervous, overwhelmed, or in danger. It gives you a way back when the day feels too heavy, the room feels too loud, or you’re afraid. 

In fear, find your breath.
In breath, find your way back.
When panic is on the rise, whisper to yourself...smell the roses...blow out the candles.