Have you ever noticed that you hold your breath throughout the day? Or realize that you’re barely breathing?

As you read this.....”Relax your shoulders! Go ahead! Yes, I’m talking to you! Relax the shoulders! Let your breath float them down, slide your shoulder blades down your back! It’s ok to release the tension; you don’t have to hold it all together; you can relax. Go ahead, take a full belly breath and feel the oxygen fill your lungs. You have permission to take up this space. You are here and you are loved.”

This sounds like a beginning to a meditation session. Who knows, I might just turn it into one! But I wanted to take a second and remind ALL of us (myself included) to take a second and breathe. Because we sometimes forget we don’t think we have time or we think we don’t deserve it   Either way, we need to change that thinking, we need to turn it around, and make a shift.

Do it with me. Smile. Push the negative self-talk to the side. Do your best to stay positive (fake it if you have to at first). Laugh. LAUGH. Kiss. Put on a bright lipstick and smooch the mirror. Hug, and I mean, squeeze tight. Hug your loved one, your kids, your friends, a willing stranger. Let that sensation envelope you. Love on yourself. Love your SELF. Be kind to yourself. Spend time with yourself. And give yourself a break. Don’t take yourself so seriously; because the reality is that it is never THAT serious.

YOU ARE WORTHY. YOU ARE LOVED.

Love yourself for who you are, and trust me, if you are happy from within, you are the most beautiful person, and your smile is your best asset.

—Ileana D'Cruz