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Slowly, my mindfulness practice is teaching me to remain calm, collected, and equanimous not matter the situation, but there are still plenty of moments where I need to remind myself to let go of my reactions and relax into the moment. In these situations, I find a catchphrase helpful.
Of course, a catchphrase is an advertising slogan, but that’s not what I’m talking about here. I use the term catchphrase, because I use the phrase to catch myself slipping into unhelpful reactions.

This Week's Peaceful Moment
 

It’s a short phrase that you say silently to yourself when you need a reminder to release your reactions and stay mindful. My current catchphrase is just one word: breathe. In a moment where someone says something frustrating, or something happens that brings up an angry reaction, or when I’m beginning to feel sad or overwhelmed, I say to myself, “breathe.” That one word triggers a mindful breath that provides a little bit of relaxation and allows me to step back from the situation to see it more clearly. In saying it, I’ve reminded myself that I don’t have to be negative, that I can take care of myself, and that I’ll be okay if I just breathe gently and let go.
When things feel really crazy, I might repeat the word - “breathe, breathe, breathe.” It’s a soothing for of self care, and it’s easy to implement.
If you’d like to try this, choose a catchphrase that resonates with you. Here are some ideas:

Let go
Calm and present
Here in the present moment
Come back to the present
Allow
Come home, or come home to the breath
Let be, or let it be
Just breathe

Go ahead and try a few to see which works best for you, and don’t hesitate to use a phrase of your own creation.
The first catchphrase I ever used was “stop,” but my meditation teacher pointed out to me this phrase might be a bit harsh. It sounds more like a command than a reminder. Once I thought about it, I had to agree. I was using it to admonish myself to stop doing whatever “bad” thing I was doing and behave better. Instead of acknowledging and allowing my reactions, I was judging and condemning them. That kind of approach isn’t helpful. It’s better to find a positive, supportive catchphrase that encourages you to practice in a healthy, helpful way.
If you give it a try, please come back and let me know how it went. Post a comment or email me at monica@mindful15.com.
Since today’s lesson was short, we have time for a longer meditation.
Invitation to meditate
The following is a 12-minute guided meditation called Just This Breath.

Up Next Week
Next week’s topic is deep relaxation. We’ll address its uses and its benefits, and of course, we’ll practice together. If you’d like a reminder email, just go to mindful15.com/subscribe and subscribe to our newsletter. I’ll let you know when new lessons are online and I’ll also send you a free deep relaxation along with a copy of Your Meditation Action Plan, our step-by-step guide to building a healthy meditation habit that lasts a lifetime.

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