Today’s post is by Lauren Hale.
As you read this I want you to focus on the absolute most basic function of life. You are doing it right now.
Breathing.
Notice how your chest rises and falls, your stomach moves up and down, the air in and out of your nose and mouth. If it is cold, you may even be able to see your breath today. When we take time to be aware of our actions, even the most basic, we tune with what is going on within ourselves and around us as well.
When we are panicked, our breathing is shallow and quick. When calm, it is slow, deep, and rhythmic. Breathing is one of the quickest ways we can change our moods. When my day gets to me, I go to a quiet place and just breathe in and out. This resets my mindset and heads me in a different direction.
At My Postpartum Voice, I started blogging in order to re-frame an unexpected pregnancy after two episodes of Postpartum OCD. Through my journey, I learned a lot, including how to take a time out for myself. As mothers, we do not have to sacrifice ourselves for our children. We matter too. Motherhood is something we add to our sense of self, not something which must overcome our sense of self. We must take care of ourselves so that we can then take care of our families.
Start today with a deep, relaxing breath. I am.
drdianesanford.com 
Thanks Lauren for all you do for moms and families. I think that because we do it everyday, we forget how essential it is to breathe. Dr. Sanford taught me long ago that deep breathing would help to relieve my anxiety and it works! I try to remember to do that on a regular basis.
I really like what you said about adding to who we are and not changing who we are. It’s hard to remember that at times.
I think it’s been implicit in becoming a mom we lose our pre-mom self instead of enlarging who we already are. I love your comment about this, Lauren. We need to keep reminding ourselves that we are like the faces of a prism, multi-faceted, not one dimensional and that’s what makes us so beautiful.
Warmly, Diane