How to be a breath of fresh air

In the latest episode of podcast fave Tonya Leigh that I’m listening to (still a bit of catching up to do), she talked about how it is good to take in a breath of fresh air, but even better to be one.

Where there is so much darkness and suffering going on around us, we need to remind ourselves that there is light too, and if we can be that for someone it may help them out of a dark, lonely place.

When we are in situations where we hear about how depressing it can be in the workplace, or at home, or in other areas of life, we start to feel that way too. It begins to multiply and we need to decide to be that breath of fresh air in every room we enter to avoid those feelings of doom and gloom and sadness.

It requires us to shift how we see ourselves, how we see other people and how we see the world. The more we step into a loving, understanding state of being the lighter we can feel. Other people can then sense our lightness when we walk into a room.

We need to recognise that not everyone is ready for the fresh air we may bring to a room.  They may be going through something or not ready to receive out lightness, but that’s ok, we can let that be.  But sometimes there are people who just in a sad state and our breath of fresh air maybe what’s needed to lift them out of it.

There are so many opportunities for us to notice and practice this every day.  Whenever we get triggered, when we notice we start to match the heaviness of the people around us. We can choose to shift to something more airy, more light, more loving, kind and grounded. When we begin to breath in the fresh air and be the fresh air we really begin to detoxify our bodies, mind and spirit.

We can be the fresh air that is going to make other people enthralled and know that we have something they could want for themselves. We can be the kind of people that makes other people feel like they are standing on the top of a mountain when we’re in their presence.

There are times when we feel downtrodden and heavy but think about the people who bring lightness into our lives and help us be reminded that we should want to be were the love is.

Where I work is surrounded by heaviness, people work extremely hard, particularly in covid times, patients are scared, angry, anxious, suffering, so the energy can be heavy and all consuming. Its really important therefore that we find those moments of beauty and joy and to know that its ok.  Life has its ups and downs, can be amazing and sometimes terrifying, and when we fight and resist it, that’s what causes the heaviness, but is all ok.

TL has six ways she practices being a breath of fresh air:

1. Decide to be unaffected – nothing can penetrate your spirit without your consent.  Having a mentality that all is well, and that you are unaffected by it.  We live in a time where everyone is so easily offended its as if we’re looking for things to be upset and angry about.  If that’s what you’re looking for then that’s what you’ll find everywhere.  You can be offended, or angry or upset by something but still choose not to let your feelings be unaffected by it.
2. Look for what you want to see – whatever you seek is seeking you. If you are looking for things that will upset you and weigh heavy on you, that’s what you’ll find.  You are looking for things that feed that state of being. When you start looking for beauty and love, joy and kindness, you’re going to find that too.  Look for the kindness, the love, the good qualities in people and you will begin to draw that from them and find all those things by return.
3. Spread love and understanding – the polarities going on in the world right now.  One doesn’t exist without the other but wrong and right are causing more divisiveness, arguing, and hatred in the world.  To heal these rifts we need to stop hating the other side and try to understand where they are coming from. We spend so much of our energy fighting ourselves and with life itself, and as long as we’re doing that we are reacting to it not creating new results.  We don’t have to agree with the other side, but can accept it for what it is.
4. Carry yourself lightly – air is light, fluid and moving.  Our emotional state impacts our body language. If someone carries themselves with their head held high they are more likely to be confident, light, fun, excited etc.  We draw conclusions about people based on their body language.  If we start carrying ourselves as a breath of fresh air, pretend to walk on clouds and have high regard for yourself. Notice how your body language emits to other people.
5. Keep rising – rise above negative things, be unaffected by it.  What would it look like if you practice rising above the negative vibes in a room and staying aware?
6. Take up space – air expands.  Often we are afraid to take up too much space, we’ve always been told to be quite or had an experience where we’ve felt humiliated and are afraid to be noticed. Be willing to walk into a room and say here you are, you’re going to spread so much light on everyone they won’t know what hit them. Its scary and unfamiliar as we don’t believe in ourselves and become wallflowers, but breaths of fresh air just walk in and are willing to take up space. Be willing to be too much with the intention of your presence being a healing presence in the room.

How are you a breath of fresh air?