First, take a deep breath

While inwardly I am perturbed and I seethe

With discontentment, I must remind myself to just breathe…

*

When you get overwhelmed you take

Shallow fast breaths, you can break

The cycle of worsening anxiety and discomfort

By taking a deep, slow breath- it does not hurt

To get more air into your lungs, the effect instantaneous

Is that of a sense of calm, your breath comes into focus

Once you have taken a long, deep, satisfying breath, your mind

Regains its sharpness, more clarity of thought you find

*

We breathe in and out, throughout our lives

As a reflex, but the beauty of breathing lies

In being able to slow it down and experience

It fully, engaging each and every sense

Think of how fascinating it is that some control you possess

Over your breathing, you can control other bodily mechanisms much less

Your heart rate you cannot slow down at will

But by taking deep and slow breaths you can slow your heartbeat still..

*

Take a deep breath, whenever you are faced

With a challenging situation, and embrace

The calmness that you feel deep inside

Now the next step you are free to decide

*

I took a deep breath, my frustration level

fell

Now on the rest of issues bothering me I can dwell