Stop the Anxiety Spiral: The Breathwork Secret Executives Miss === [00:00:00] [00:00:01] Brett Aldrich: The world's not going to end if you take a pause and take a deep breath, [00:00:04] Brett Aldrich: So we know that it slows you down to the point to where you're able to think a little bit more clearly. you're able to step left or right, knowing and being more conscientious of your decision-making or your choice, Instead of reacting, it's that pause before a reaction, heading towards more of a solution [00:00:24] Speaker 3: Welcome to Shedding the Corporate Bitch, the podcast that transforms today's managers into tomorrow's powerhouse leaders. Your host, Bernadette Boas, executive coach and author, brings you into a world where the corporate grind meets personal growth and success in each and every episode [00:00:42] Bernadette Boas: I want you to take a quick gut check before we get into the conversation today. When was the last time you actually finished a full breath? Not a shallow breath, but a actual full from the belly type of breath. My [00:01:00] guest is Brett Aldridge, an Ayurveda counselor and breathwork practitioner, and the founder of Seed the Spirit. [00:01:07] Bernadette Boas: Brett spent years in corporate and high-pressure advocacy work, long hours, no real recovery, running on coffee and sheer will, before she hit her quiet burnout. Not the dramatic kind, the slow creep, as she calls it. Getting sick more often, appetite and sleep going sideways, just accepting not feeling great as the baseline. [00:01:29] Bernadette Boas: What she found on the other side of that is what we're gonna dig into today, how chronic stress and shallow breathing quietly wreaks havoc on your focus, digestion, and decision-making, and how something as simple as a few conscious breaths can bring you back to what she calls a state of neutrality, where you can actually think clearly and choose instead of react. [00:01:53] Bernadette Boas: We'll also get into why working in alignment with your natural energy instead of against it might matter more [00:02:00] for your performance than any productivity hack you've tried. And Brett is going to walk us through real breathwork practices live right here that you can do between meetings, you can do in the morning as a part of your morning routine, or any time throughout the day and evening in order to just bring you back to regulation. [00:02:20] Bernadette Boas: So take a breath- And we're about to teach you how to actually use it effectively to help you succeed in your business and life. Let's get into our conversation with Brett. [00:02:33] Bernadette Boas: Brett, welcome. How are you? [00:02:35] Brett Aldrich: I'm doing well, Bernadette. How are you? [00:02:37] Bernadette Boas: I am doing well, but I have to tell you, the subject around breathwork, I absolutely need it today. And so I am gonna welcome this conversation, and I would expect that our professional listeners and viewers, may just find it to be tremendously [00:03:00] beneficial as well, even in where they are right now in this moment. [00:03:04] Bernadette Boas: so as we get into that conversation, you spent time in corporate before founding Seed the Spirit- [00:03:13] Brett Aldrich: Yes ... [00:03:13] Bernadette Boas: which is a fabulous name. When did you realize that burnout was, a real thing that needed to be addressed? And then how did you come about wanting to be one of those individuals that address it? [00:03:30] Brett Aldrich: Absolutely. It was creepy. It was very subtle. It was a slow creep of, small little things that started to trip me up personally, on a personal level, but also a physical level as well. I considered myself a pretty verbose human or very, vivacious, and when I was working in the world, I, started to slowly Get sick more often. [00:03:54] Brett Aldrich: I started to slowly- ~Mm ~... I lost appetite. Sometimes, ~like,~ I would lose my appetite or I would [00:04:00] eat too much or, my, my lifestyle, my sleeping patterns started to go off and I was ~like,~ "Gosh, this is so strange." ~Like,~ I don't know what, what's happening here. And over time I just, And then I got used to the idea of just being sick often, and I got used to the idea of showing up to work with a sniffle or a, or- ~Mm~ [00:04:19] Brett Aldrich: this was quite some time ago- when I was doing this. and after that I was working not only in corporate, but I also worked in, the systems of working with advocacy for victims, but in a court setting, which also had long hours, waking up and going to bed to work. [00:04:34] Brett Aldrich: And I was living a certain way. Okay, what would I do to have energy? I would drink, ~like,~ a couple cups of coffee. I used to smoke back then, so, I was a smoker a long time ago. And I was picking up life practices that continued that cycle of not feeling better- I took the opportunity of having... I was grateful and blessed to be able to take a pause and take time away and readdress, adj- adjust, my life practices and how I could [00:05:00] live, and part of that was, having children and just starting a whole other life. Though I don't, do know that starting a whole other life isn't for everybody. [00:05:08] Brett Aldrich: We can't all do that. So that's nearly impossible to start over from scratch and also arduous and really difficult. So I just came to the understanding where I realized maybe this is something that I need to do for myself and maybe show someone else. how can you make changes that are small enough that you start to feel better and gain momentum to better health, but at the same time not completely disrupt your whole life and- [00:05:34] Brett Aldrich: and move in that progression. Yeah ... slow process, but it is possible. So- Absolutely ... over time I started to feel better. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And we've noticed too, there's the small subtle changes. Over time we came to the realization that, you don't have to change your whole entire life and disrupt everything in order to gain and attain better health. [00:05:52] Bernadette Boas: Yes. And, [00:05:53] Brett Aldrich: and , [00:05:53] Bernadette Boas: i believe in small steps lead to big results. [00:05:57] Brett Aldrich: Yes. [00:05:57] Bernadette Boas: you don't have to do that [00:06:00] big overwhelming- arduous, thing. It could just be very small little changes [00:06:05] Bernadette Boas: how did it direct you into the area of breathwork? [00:06:09] Brett Aldrich: I started swimming, okay? So it's really strange. I was ~like,~ "You know what? I'm gonna do something good for me. I'm gonna start swimming." I used to run or whatever, and I'm ~like,~ "I'm gonna swim." And oh, my gosh, the first few months I was ~like,~ "Oh, gosh. This is terrible." I'm ~like,~ "How can I do this?" [00:06:25] Brett Aldrich: I really had no lung capacity. And I, at the time I was also practicing yoga. I was taking the steps, ~like~ what will work for me, ~ Like,~ what's gonna work here? And I was an athlete- And, I did collegiate, sports and all of those things, but swimming was not my favorite. [00:06:40] Brett Aldrich: And I've always said this as a life practice, like the thing that I'm worst at, the thing that I'm so bad at, just do it, because obviously I needed it. So the swimming became a thing, and yoga became a thing because I had a hard time sitting still. That was also helpful. But then as time went on, a teacher of mine just approached and just [00:07:00] said, "Hey, I noticed," fill in the blank, And she says, "Have you ever considered practicing breathwork along with your other practices?" And I said, "Not really. I haven't considered it at all." And then, just a little bit at a time, I got hooked. I was ~like,~ wow, ~like~ this really is profoundly changing how I feel. I don't necessarily have to exercise as much as I am in order to feel better. [00:07:20] Brett Aldrich: Yeah. I was overexerting myself probably trying, thinking that it was the right thing, [00:07:24] Brett Aldrich: And coming to the realization, my diaphragm and the way I breathed was sporadic, and at times I was holding my breath. It changed my life. [00:07:33] Bernadette Boas: Well, it's funny because- Yeah ... when you mention swimming, when I was preparing for today- ... and I didn't see anything regarding swimming, but when it come to breathwork- ... the very first thing I thought of is I was an avid competitive swimmer all the way through- Oh, wow ... college. [00:07:47] Bernadette Boas: And I, b- but I grew up in the time and the era where they didn't want you to breathe from start to finish. [00:07:56] Bernadette Boas: Oh, my goodness. So I could literally do a 25 meter, if not a 50 meter, [00:08:00] and not take one breath. And then of course, over time they recognized that was certainly not good for anyone. And then it became like every stroke is a breath. Anyway. So I definitely started hyperventilating when I was actually preparing for this because of- ~Mm~ [00:08:19] Bernadette Boas: the idea that I too had to learn over an extended period of time to get away from holding my breath- ... even through the day. Because it carried over into the day- that I would hold my breath thinking that that was gonna help me just be calm and help regulate, and yet it was just, creating so much more havoc within my system. [00:08:41] Bernadette Boas: So what have you found- especially from a leadership context- [00:08:47] Bernadette Boas: what have you found in breathwork that if leaders or any professionals dealing with a lot of chaos in the day, I said to you, earlier, today's [00:09:00] just one of those days I definitely needed- ... to focus on my breathing. [00:09:04] Brett Aldrich: Yeah. [00:09:04] Bernadette Boas: what do you see breathwork doing for them if they were to consciously and intentionally think about it? [00:09:12] Brett Aldrich: the wonderful thing is you don't really have to do anything specific. All you really have to do is just stop for a second, The world's not going to end if you take a pause and take a deep breath, [00:09:21] Brett Aldrich: So we know that it slows you down to the point to where you're able to think a little bit more clearly. you're able to step left or right, being more conscientious of your decision-making or your choice, Instead of reacting, it's that pause before a reaction, heading towards more of a solution. [00:09:41] Brett Aldrich: And if there's no solution, you're, being more okay with there's no solution right now. And it really is one of those moments where- If you did take a moment to take a breath or a minute to do some, a small breathing practice in your chair or while you're walking even too. [00:10:00] I remember, when I was working once back in the court system, and I actually went into the restroom and just sat down in a chair that was in the restroom. [00:10:06] Brett Aldrich: I just needed a moment. my desk was piled with files from that morning, and I was getting one person talking to me and the phone was ringing at the same time, and I needed to be in the courtroom in ~like~ five minutes. And I was ~like,~ "You know what? I can be late a minute. I can be a minute late." [00:10:21] Brett Aldrich: That's a given. And it did assist in getting in front of whomever I needed to be in front of and being able to speak clearly, articulate what I needed or what my client needed. And I was able to move forward and progress in a manner that was diplomatic, non-reactive, also spoke clearly of the needs of myself and the person I was working with. [00:10:44] Brett Aldrich: And that's tough to do. It's just tough to do in general. So consider it tough to do stressed. So if you ask yourself if I know I take, c- can be a minute late to something, the outcome could be so much better, And that really what it is, is [00:11:00] lessening the reactiveness and moving towards a solution, and breathwork has assisted me with that. [00:11:05] Brett Aldrich: It just gets that brain working a little bit better. [00:11:08] Bernadette Boas: Yeah. And I want us to speak to all of those who have the minute, but in their head they don't think they have the minute. [00:11:16] Brett Aldrich: Yes. [00:11:16] Bernadette Boas: Because they wanna be there. They wanna be on time. They wanna be early. [00:11:19] Bernadette Boas: And yet if they find these pauses, if they find these... A minute is short in time, but yet if you're focused on breathing, wouldn't you say that it slows the time down- ... and it really can be very transformative for someone even for 60 seconds? [00:11:40] Brett Aldrich: Yes, Absolutely. And when you start to develop the... [00:11:44] Brett Aldrich: we look at life sometimes as a scientist, We have a theory, And when we put it into action, we do one way or another way, and we'll get a different outcome potentially. Which outcome suits better for all and self, So when you are less [00:12:00] reactive and you're moving forward in a conscientious way, knowing that you took a moment to breathe and give yourself a moment, the, the outcome may not be exactly what you wanted. [00:12:09] Brett Aldrich: However, one, you feel better going through it. Two, if it doesn't happen exactly how you want to, you have a little bit more of a understanding and clarity to come back. You have that resilience in order to return, ... into the same situation if you want it to be a little bit better. Versus you don't have that resilience. [00:12:26] Brett Aldrich: You have less of that, cup full, and then you're still consistently reacting. It builds. As we know, in a business or in life, over time it builds and creates- momentum towards something else, So if and you've seen it in real life, which I have personally two different roads, [00:12:45] Brett Aldrich: A pause, non-reactive solution-oriented mind or reactive, and less resilient, and the outcome usually is a little different. And- taking a moment can really make that difference. [00:12:59] Bernadette Boas: And I like to [00:13:00] often talk about if someone can't see the positive impact within them that they could be achieving, I often want to have people look at then the impact, to others and to the situation If one goes out reactive because they don't wanna take 60 seconds to get them- [00:13:27] Bernadette Boas: regulated and get themselves calmed down. So can you speak to that? Can you speak to if you neglect regulating yourself, what that- impact is to those around you? [00:13:40] Brett Aldrich: Absolutely. And, there's so many ways it can look, It can be, the person that you're working with, say you're serving up something, like you have a client, and you're moving forward based on the needs of a client and yourself. [00:13:55] Brett Aldrich: it affects the client, in a way that could be unpleasant. It could be [00:14:00] affected on you too directly because they'd be ~like,~ "It's really hard to work with this person 'cause they're so, they won't pause. they're not thinking clearly," And, or, they're reactive, and I really am try- part of work and business too is to develop relationships, [00:14:13] Brett Aldrich: And great relationships are a basis and a foundation of a lot of what we do and in life in general. And over time, you'll find those doors start closing. the more reactive you are, the doors will start closing, and they'll be ~like,~ "This person, we wanna negotiate. [00:14:29] Brett Aldrich: Or, if you're not going to negotiate, at least, tell us where your boundaries are, or tell us- ... clearly what you want. And, over time it can, one, can hurt internally because your body's lack of oxygen. Two, it hurts your body 'cause you're literally on fire going into a meeting, Your blood pressure's high, and your reactions some could be warranted 'cause you're placing a real strong boundary. However, you're clear. Your clarity is essential. And, you can absolutely, take care [00:15:00] of yourself in a room full of people, keeping good boundaries but being very clear with what you need. [00:15:05] Brett Aldrich: And at least you'll walk out with respect and dignity, even if you have to, have a clear boundary and it's not easy. Yeah ... and at the same time, those same people will be ~like,~ "Well, you know what? Maybe not today, but at least we know that this is a person- Yeah ... that we can work with." [00:15:20] Brett Aldrich: Down the road. So what does future ride- [00:15:21] Bernadette Boas: And we can trust, and we can trust to be able to get into the muckety-muck of things- Yes ... and not lose control or become reactive, and that's what's also critical for professionals to keep in mind is- you want... You don't wanna create any negatives in the minds of those around you, whether that be employees, bosses, vendors, clients. [00:15:44] Bernadette Boas: You know, and someone reacting, not taking those pauses- [00:15:48] Brett Aldrich: Yeah ... [00:15:48] Bernadette Boas: I would expect would create a lot of questions [00:15:51] Brett Aldrich: And there are some situations where people are hoping you're reactive. You never know, And being able to understand, and that breath is a great [00:16:00] way to... [00:16:00] Brett Aldrich: is a form of detachment from anything that's actually happening in a way where, someone's actively trying to create a s- a reaction as well. So it is a way to detach from what's happening emotionally, and being able to move forward with more clarity and understanding as to what you want as a person and also maybe your client or your business, and being able to move forward knowing that whatever that was has nothing to do with you, and you can still steer in the right direction- [00:16:29] Brett Aldrich: towards business and looking for more of the solution. Problems happen all the time. [00:16:34] Brett Aldrich: And, when we move forward reactively, sometimes we don't necessarily always see the solution first. The problem could have nothing to do with the solution. [00:16:42] Bernadette Boas: Yeah. [00:16:42] Brett Aldrich: that's okay ... [00:16:42] Bernadette Boas: well, and you ra- I'm sorry. [00:16:44] Brett Aldrich: No, go ahead. [00:16:45] Bernadette Boas: And you raise a good point about the fact that there are situations, and I'm sure I thought about two or three of them when you mentioned it, and I'm sure every listener and viewer will be able to as well, where someone intentionally [00:17:00] does want you to react. They do wanna kinda poke the bear, as I'll say- [00:17:04] Bernadette Boas: and stress you out. And if I'm hearing you correctly, Brett- Is the best way to mitigate that, to actually eliminate you reacting to that, is just that pause, that breath, getting yourself regulated- [00:17:22] Bernadette Boas: to the point where you're not going to feed in- ... to what that other person wants, because most likely then they're gonna win. [00:17:30] Brett Aldrich: it's all about really definitely regulating yourself and creating a internal environment so you can move forward and think clearly and speak clearly as well. We all have intentions of knowing what we want and need, and continuing on with that level of understanding and knowing that, there are gonna be... [00:17:48] Brett Aldrich: There's gonna be distraction, whether it be someone intentionally doing something or sometimes people don't even know they're doing it. [00:17:54] Bernadette Boas: Yeah. [00:17:54] Brett Aldrich: And so there's that too but either way, it's a point of reflection as a person. where [00:18:00] did this go? And that's something I can reflect on later, but the breath actually allows you to focus more on what's going on in front of you, and does the regulation, regulating yourself before we move forward and speak. [00:18:15] Brett Aldrich: And even if you have to address whatever was said you can give yourself that opportunity to be clear. [00:18:21] Brett Aldrich: Clear the mind. [00:18:21] Bernadette Boas: Your practice also touches on Ayurveda principles? [00:18:26] Brett Aldrich: Yes. [00:18:26] Bernadette Boas: Would you help us understand what that is and what those principles are that can help our listeners and viewers gain a better traction on the importance of breathwork? [00:18:40] Brett Aldrich: So, there's many different ways to practice breathwork. And Ayurveda also has a history of yoga included. And Ayurveda also has to do with, how you treat the body. not just breathwork, but also how you eat how you use your day in a way that [00:19:00] is, more... I guess you can use your day as well as you can, [00:19:04] Brett Aldrich: So how you can gain traction in your day. and along with that is, ~like,~ when do you eat? What kind of food you eat? What you eat really can manipulate and shift inside the body and also in the mind. I'll go extreme. ~Like, ~there's coffee, That's a jolt of in- Of, energy, [00:19:21] Brett Aldrich: Or then there's fried food, which can make you feel heavy and tired and low. So that's two sides of the extreme. So what would happen is if we ate food that was a little healthier, a little more in tuned with how our body operates, okay? And then when that happens, you can also utilize food in order to think clearer. [00:19:40] Brett Aldrich: You can utilize daily practices to prepare yourself for a long day or prepare yourself for a shorter day, How to use those days so well that you get what you need done and if something needs to be sent for another day, that's totally fine. So for example each part of the day has, a certain [00:20:00] energy or certain usefulness, [00:20:01] Brett Aldrich: So in the morning typically from 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM, we are the most sturdy-minded and in the body. So we pick and choose what to do during that time of day. And then, from around 11:00 to 2:00 PM, that's when the sun is at its highest and we're at the most warmest internally, so that's usually when we eat our largest meal or we do something a little calmer to the nervous system so we don't overheat and become reactive. [00:20:26] Brett Aldrich: And then from 2:00 PM to, I think it's 6:00 PM, it's a period of day where we're a little bit less likely to be sturdy, but we're more, brainstorming timeframe where you do something of that nature, more creative time of the day. We tend to get a little tired that kind of days when we wanna pick up a cup of coffee. [00:20:46] Brett Aldrich: you choose either a cup of coffee or a five-minute closing your eyes and resetting yourself for the rest of the day. [00:20:53] Bernadette Boas: That'd be me. [00:20:54] Brett Aldrich: Take a moment, And then in the evenings when we're sleeping, it's a similar cycle, So there's evening time, we slow [00:21:00] down, and then in the middle of the night we transfer our food during the timeframe so we repair our bodies while we're sleeping, and then we wake up in the morning, during a period of time where it's more lighter. [00:21:10] Brett Aldrich: That's when we take our time to journal or prepare- [00:21:13] Brett Aldrich: ourselves. that alone, if you know that and understand that about yourself or that it's the natural way of the 24-hour day or sunrise, sunset you can personally utilize that to your benefit And, to feel better in the body. [00:21:27] Bernadette Boas: And you talk about slow, steady, and simplified work structures in order for individuals, especially professionals, to- ... maintain a a solid base or a foundation so their energy level is where it needs to be, so then they're- clear and concise, and they can make good decisions. [00:21:51] Bernadette Boas: Help us understand- more around that. [00:21:55] Brett Aldrich: Sure. Well, it's a little challenging to do these [00:22:00] days, and I can relate in many ways where my day would be full. The moment I woke up to the moment I went to bed, I was thinking about work. that was all I was doing. so it's not always easy, I have to admit. [00:22:10] Brett Aldrich: ~Like,~ it really is a moment of just shifting one thing, And it could even be what you do on the days that you're not working, So personally, what I feel is, ~like, ~You can't always schedule everything, 'cause my workplace was a little bit sporadic and all over the place when I would walk through the door, It's basically trying to figure out, 'cause if you can make your own schedule, great. If you can't make your own schedule, it really is about finding pockets of time, if you can, to reset, to give yourself a moment of a reset, whether it's a breath, whether it's a moment and putting your hand on your chest, just any of those things you can try to do. [00:22:49] Brett Aldrich: That's what I ended up having to do, to give yourself another moment to start again, even during the middle of the day. Ideally, and the hope someday, is that, we know [00:23:00] and understand that time of rest is just as essential and important as getting the work done. [00:23:05] Bernadette Boas: Absolutely. [00:23:06] Brett Aldrich: Yeah. And knowing that you can get more done when you feel better versus when you're overdone, that alone changed everything for me. [00:23:16] Brett Aldrich: Yeah. Knowing that the time of rest was just as important, if not more important, than the work time. 'Cause If I was on fire, dare I say, when I was on fire and doing work, and I was really doing it, I knew I had a day off the day beforehand, and I had a plan, And then I got it done. And with a clear mind. [00:23:34] Brett Aldrich: So if we can just understand and know that if we utilize the time of rest well- Then the time of work gets done smoother and- ... and the body feels better. sometimes there's the understanding we wanna accomplish the task, so to speak. So accomplishing what, we set out to do in a way where we have some leftover energy as well, to feel like a human being is great. [00:23:59] Brett Aldrich: Yep. [00:24:00] [00:24:00] Bernadette Boas: Well, I think I [00:24:01] Brett Aldrich: don't [00:24:01] Bernadette Boas: If individuals could really focus as hard as they do on the goals around finishing a task- [00:24:07] ... [00:24:07] Bernadette Boas: On a goal around refueling themselves so they can, in a very slow, steady, and simplified way, get the work done, then it's a win-win for everyone. [00:24:23] Brett Aldrich: Yes. [00:24:23] Bernadette Boas: But so many people don't focus on themselves. They just are storming through the day trying to get the task completed. [00:24:32] Brett Aldrich: Yeah, absolutely. Would you agree? Yes, I would absolutely agree. it is [00:24:37] Brett Aldrich: Coming to the realization of how much less time it takes to get work done sometimes, knowing that you can rest. ~Like,~ knowing, ~like,~ I always feel like knowing that if I focus on my rest and I replenish myself, knowing that'll be that much m- better down the road- it really came back twofold for me, honestly- Yeah [00:24:56] Brett Aldrich: when I finally started to put that into practice, especially when I was working [00:25:00] with clients. And still to this day when I work with clients. So important. I've had to change a few things around, just to make sure I was fully, awake, aware, and present for people that were working with me. [00:25:11] Brett Aldrich: And part of that is the rest. Yes. It really is. if you walk in with a client and, you're ~like,~ breathing, trying to get yourself together in order to serve their needs, it's really tough. ~Like, ~you want them to be confident in you. [00:25:24] Brett Aldrich: to be fully confident that you are there 100%. [00:25:27] [00:25:27] Brett Aldrich: And in order to be 100% with your client, you need to be 100% for yourself. [00:25:33] Bernadette Boas: Yep. [00:25:33] Brett Aldrich: And that ends up coming into that pace of simplifying, your off time. [00:25:37] Bernadette Boas: Yeah. And can you walk us through a practice of breathwork? [00:25:41] Brett Aldrich: Yes, [00:25:42] Bernadette Boas: absolutely. So we can see what we could do on our- [00:25:44] Bernadette Boas: daily day in, day out. [00:25:46] Brett Aldrich: Yes, absolutely. So I'll give you a few demonstrations. One of them, too, was a little bit silly because I used to do it behind my computer and my desk. So there were some things I'd do- [00:25:56] Bernadette Boas: I'll be your guinea pig. Don't worry about it. [00:25:58] Brett Aldrich: So there's just this simple [00:26:00] one just sitting upright in your chair. [00:26:02] Brett Aldrich: It's all it is. you try to count how long you can breathe. So we'll do a four count on the inhale, four count holding your breath, and then a four count on the exhale. So it's just a simple inhale, exhale, but just with four counts. you'll first just sit. and you'll inhale through the nose, two, three, four. [00:26:27] Brett Aldrich: You'll hold the breath, two, three, four. And then exhale, two, three, four. Then right back in with an inhale, two, three, four. Hold, two, three, four. Then exhale, two, three, four. And then right back in one more just for good measure, two, [00:27:00] three, four. Hold, two, three, four. And then exhale. [00:27:08] Brett Aldrich: And then just go back to your normal breath [00:27:12] Bernadette Boas: I needed that so bad [00:27:16] Brett Aldrich: That's it. [00:27:16] Bernadette Boas: That's it. I needed that so... I am one- Yeah ... I am one, and, I'm sure I have, clients that will listen and potential clients that listen. But I will admit openly between hectic, ~like~ between meetings I will turn over my phone. [00:27:33] Bernadette Boas: I never have the ringer on. I'll turn over my phone, shut my com- my laptop, and I will, for five minutes, just close my eyes. [00:27:41] Bernadette Boas: I might have to set an alarm if I think I'm really gonna fall asleep, 'cause I tend to- Yes ... be able to do that. [00:27:46] Brett Aldrich: Yeah. [00:27:47] Bernadette Boas: just to It just is so- [00:27:49] Bernadette Boas: Refreshing and so clearing. Now i- what practice do you use? [00:27:55] Brett Aldrich: My everyday practice typically? it's a little in-depth, but what I like to do is [00:28:00] that I teach many different types of breathwork. I've been trained in pranayam, which is the yogic-based breathwork, which has, counting and breath holding from time to time. [00:28:10] Brett Aldrich: There's other one I do really enjoy doing when I've had a day where it was nonstop. I still have days where I'm nonstop. No doubt. I don't do this perfectly I do a lot, some days I do really well, and some days, you know what? I just- [00:28:25] Bernadette Boas: Sure [00:28:25] Brett Aldrich: call it a day, Sure. It was a day. [00:28:27] Bernadette Boas: But you have it in your back pocket. [00:28:28] Brett Aldrich: Absolutely. [00:28:29] Bernadette Boas: And I think that's the expectation we need to set for- this conversation, is we're not looking for perfection here. she's giving you some tools, and practices, and pull 'em out [00:28:38] Bernadette Boas: when you're conscious that you need some- [00:28:40] Brett Aldrich: Absolutely ... [00:28:41] Bernadette Boas: space. [00:28:42] Brett Aldrich: in the mornings I like to do the dual nostril breathing. this is one I used to do behind my desk. It really does balance your internal body. It balances the nervous system. It brings you to neutrality. So what we're trying the best we can is to bring our body and our mind into a neutral state- [00:28:59] Brett Aldrich: so we can think [00:29:00] clearly, So part of it is, in the mind of ~like~ we want what we want, but then I come to the realize that after I do that, I'm ~like~ maybe that's not the solution." [00:29:09] Bernadette Boas: Love that. [00:29:09] Brett Aldrich: Yeah, absolutely. Because what we really are wanting is what's best for all, And when we do these things, it's not always what I want, which is not always the solution. And maybe what I want might be better, but is it right for everybody? [00:29:22] Brett Aldrich: Hard to know. So it is a way to get to a sense of neutrality. So I'll just carefully do this. [00:29:27] Brett Aldrich: I used to do this behind my desk at my work and, my coworkers would be ~like,~ "What are you doing?" But it did help And I found other people started to do it, which was nice to know. so I would just take one hand. You can do it traditionally through the yoga practice, or we can just do it simply as is. [00:29:42] Brett Aldrich: So I would just- Simply [00:29:43] Bernadette Boas: as is is [00:29:44] Brett Aldrich: I would just hold down my right, this is my right nostril, and then I would inhale on the left-hand side I'd hold my breath and then go to my left nostril and hold down my left nostril and exhale through the right [00:30:00] nostril [00:30:00] Bernadette Boas: Interesting. [00:30:01] Brett Aldrich: Yeah. Inhale on the right-hand side [00:30:04] Brett Aldrich: Hold the right-hand side. Exhale on the left [00:30:07] Brett Aldrich: Inhale on the left [00:30:08] Brett Aldrich: Hold, and then exhale on the right [00:30:12] Bernadette Boas: I might have gotten a little bit messed up, but that's okay. [00:30:15] Brett Aldrich: Yeah. Either way, you're holding a nostril, inhaling on the opposite, hold, and then exhale- on the opposite nostril. And then you go between each one, and at the end you'll wanna just inhale through the left one and exhale through the right, and then just get back to your normal breathing. [00:30:31] Brett Aldrich: That usually helps. [00:30:32] Bernadette Boas: so how many times are we doing that? [00:30:35] Brett Aldrich: So if you only have five times to go through, only five. For me, I usually do, this one I'll do depending on the day. So it could be ~like~ a minute to five minutes. [00:30:45] Brett Aldrich: And then after that At the end of the day I'll do a circular breath. [00:30:49] Brett Aldrich: So it's an inhale through the mouth and an exhale through the mouth, and it's one after the other without stopping. Inhale through the mouth, exhale through the mouth. Inhale through the [00:31:00] mouth, exhale through the mouth. And I would do that one after the other. It's a circular breathing, and that is what I do with clients specifically. [00:31:09] Brett Aldrich: But if you wanna do it for 30 seconds to a minute, it just kinda clears out the day. [00:31:14] Brett Aldrich: And then y- I do it lying down sometimes. You can lie down or seat sitting up. That's a nice way. [00:31:17] Bernadette Boas: Woo-woo. We got some ammunition here to get us all calm, cool, and collected. [00:31:24] Brett Aldrich: Yep, the best we can. [00:31:25] Bernadette Boas: Yeah, the best we can. But at the same time it's- so beneficial so we can- go into the day or, get out of our head while we're in the day- and get back to a, a calm, logical, decisive versus reactive type of state- of mind. Which is- what we all need to do in order to be really successful at what we're trying to accomplish. [00:31:48] Bernadette Boas: Absolutely. Brett, this has been fabulous. Thank you very much. if listeners and viewers wanna learn more, go to seedthespirit.com. learn all about Brett and the [00:32:00] work that she does. You can also link in with her @brettaldrich that's A-L-D-R-I-C-H. As well, follow her on Facebook with Seed the Spirit. [00:32:10] Bernadette Boas: I love that, Seed the Spirit. [00:32:12] Brett Aldrich: Thank [00:32:12] Bernadette Boas: This has been fabulous. Thank you so much. I'm definitely going to before my next meeting- ... I'm gonna sit here and get some breathwork done- to just get my heart from slowing, from beating so fast, slow it down, and just calm. [00:32:30] Speaker 4: What a powerhouse Brett is, and I needed her breathwork practices so badly today. if you took nothing from this episode, take this. [00:32:40] Speaker 4: You don't have to overhaul your entire life to feel better. You cannot show up 100% for your team, for your clients, or your decisions if you're not first showing up 100% for yourself. Rest isn't the thing competing with performance. So your call to action this week is to pick [00:33:00] one of the practices that Brett walked us through, the box breath, the dual nostril breathing, even just the pause before you react. [00:33:08] Speaker 4: Try it once. See how it shifts and re-energizes you. And to learn more about Brett, be sure to go to her website, seedthespirit.com. Connect with her on LinkedIn at Brett Aldridge, and follow Seed The Spirit on Facebook. And be sure to subscribe to Shedding the Corporate Bitch podcast on YouTube or any one of your podcast streaming services so you don't miss a single topic or a guest that we bring to you each and every week. [00:33:37] Speaker 4: I look forward to having you for another episode of Shedding the Corporate Bitch. Bye. [00:33:41] Speaker 5: Thank you for tuning in to today's episode of Shedding the Corporate Bitch. Every journey taken together is another step towards unleashing the powerhouse leader within you. Don't miss any of our weekly episodes. Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you love to listen. And for those who thrive on visual content, catch us on our [00:34:00] Shedding the Bitch YouTube channel. [00:34:01] Speaker 5: Wanna dive deeper with Bernadette on becoming a powerhouse leader? Visit balloffirecoaching.com to learn more about how she helps professionals, HR executives, and team leaders elevate overall team performance. You've been listening to Shedding the Corporate Bitch with Bernadette Boas. Until next time, keep shedding, keep growing, and keep leading.