My Personal Experience
“The least emotional response is the best response to any given situation”
I first discovered box breathing when I was having my quarter-life crisis and trying to gain control of my emotional outburst.
It was not a good place for me to be in at the time, but this technique is an absolute game-changer.
All of these lessons I write about and mental models I discuss really don’t matter until we’re able to stop reacting and start responding
Controlled breathing activates our parasympathetic nervous system, which helps to shift our thinking from the emotional and irrational amygdala to the logical and rational prefrontal cortex.
Above all else: IT WORKS
I use box breathing anytime I start to panic–and it’s when I become calm again that I’m able to take the right action, rather than reacting with a bad mistake.
Practical Tips
- If you find yourself getting aroused, blood-boiling, or simply emotional–STOP. Breath, and slowly regain control
- This will help you respond instead of reacting