Ch. 2, Ep. 3: Get grounded

This is ‘From Dollar One’: Presented by Interac.  

Breathing. [sound of a person inhaling and exhaling] 

It’s the essence of life and a growing number of studies show that breathing techniques can help reduce stress and anxiety and even improve attention. For the busy business owners managing pressures from every corner, grounding techniques like box breathing can help by gently distracting your mind, calming your nervous system and reducing stress. 

Expert, Financial Therapist, Aseel El-Baba shared exactly what a grounding technique is and how to apply simple exercises in your daily life. Let’s walk through what we learned.   

Grounding techniques are ways to help bring you back down to Earth when you’re feeling caught up in anxiety. They can help you stay in the present moment and refocus your attention on the things that are achievable right now.   

One effective grounding techniques is box breathing. Box breathing, also known as four-square breathing, is a simple breathwork exercise that consists of a series of four breaths over four seconds each.  

All you have to do is Breathe in 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, breathe out 4 seconds, hold that for 4 seconds, and repeat.  

How about we give that one a try here?  

Try your best to relax and…  

Breathe in, 3, 2, 1  

Hold, 3, 2, 1  

Breathe out, 3, 2, 1  

Hold, 3, 2, 1  

[Repeat X1 and end on “Breathe out, 3, 2, and 1”] note for voiceover   

Box breathing doesn’t only have to be used in moments of high stress. You can apply it before starting a new task to feel more confident and in charge. Like managing your finances.  

Setting aside time and energy to focus on your administrative and operational tasks regularly, and initiating these tasks with simple breathing techniques can help give you a stronger sense of control. And when you feel in control and in charge it means you can make more confident, informed decisions for yourself and your business.  

[OUTRO]  

Want to learn more ways to stay grounded? Visit Interac.ca/dollarone to learn more and sign up for our newsletter. 

The content for Episode 3 and other materials contained on the Interac website are for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a health professional with any questions you may have.