How Deep Breathing Can Lead to Better Decision-Making

Audio By Carbonatix

Life can be overwhelming sometimes, can’t it? One minute, we’re cruising along just fine, and the next, we’re stuck in a grumpy mood we can’t shake. But what if we could break free from that grumpiness and choose joy instead? 

Today, we’re starting the e-book “Stop. Challenge. Choose.”

Dr. Wayne Scott Anderson’s “Stop. Challenge. Choose.” method is a powerful tool that can help us do that. And at the heart of this method is the simple yet transformative act of breathing.

The first step to escaping grumpiness is to simply stop. When you feel yourself getting irritable or overwhelmed, pause. Take a deep breath through your nose, filling your lungs completely, and then exhale slowly. Acknowledge your emotions. This simple act of stopping can keep you from reacting poorly and worsening your mood. In that moment, you’re not just filling your lungs with air – you’re inviting the breath of God to bring you peace and clarity.

Once you’ve stopped, it’s time to challenge. Look closely at your grumpy mood and ask yourself some questions. What triggered this feeling? Is something specific bothering you, or is it just a general feeling of being overwhelmed? Are there unmet needs or desires contributing to your grumpiness? By challenging your mood, you can gain understanding and realize that you have the power to change your perspective. As you inhale the breath of God, ask for wisdom to see your situation.

After gaining insight into your grumpiness, the final step is to choose. You have the power to decide how to respond to your mood. You could take a break and walk to clear your head. You could engage in something you love, like reading a good book or chatting with a friend. You could practice self-care by taking deep breaths, meditating, or being mindful. Or you could shift your perspective and focus on the good in your situation. The choice is yours. As you exhale, imagine any stress or negativity leaving your body, making room for the peace of God to guide your decision.

By stopping, challenging, and choosing, you can break free from grumpiness and live the joyful, fulfilling life you were meant to live. You have the power to choose joy every day. And with each breath, you can tap into the wisdom and inspiration of God, making decisions that align with His best for you.

Example Scenario

Imagine you’re in the middle of a chaotic morning, getting your kids ready for school. Your youngest has spilled cereal all over the counter, your oldest is arguing with you about what to wear, and you just stepped on a Lego. You can feel your frustration and irritability rising. But instead of losing your cool, you use the “Stop. Challenge. Choose.” method.

Stop:

You take a deep breath and pause for a moment. You step back from the mess and the arguing and acknowledge your feelings. You remind yourself that this is just a stressful moment that will pass. As you inhale, you pray, “God, bring me peace and patience.”

Challenge:

You reflect on why you’re feeling so upset. Is it just the morning’s mess and chaos, or is something deeper bothering you? Are you feeling overwhelmed and out of control? Are there unmet needs, like a desire for peace and calm, contributing to your frustration? You ask God to give you wisdom to understand your emotions.

Choose:

After gaining some insight, you decide how to respond. You could yell at the kids to stop arguing and clean up the mess, but that would likely worsen things. Instead, you choose to take a different approach. You spend a moment deep breathing, and then address the situation calmly. You help your youngest clean up the spill and redirect your oldest to a different outfit. As you exhale, you feel God’s peace guiding your actions. You realize that in this moment, you’re not just managing a chaotic morning – you’re modeling for your children how to respond to stress with grace and patience.

Inspirational Moment

As you continue to breathe deeply, you’re reminded of the Scripture from Genesis 2:7: “Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” In this moment, you feel a connection to that first breath of life, a breath that came from God Himself. You realize that you’re drawing in a little piece of that divine life with each inhale.

With this newfound awareness, you feel a shift inside you. You see, your morning struggles aren’t just messy rooms and arguing kids – they’re about remembering to invite God into your everyday moments. They’re about choosing to breathe in His peace and wisdom, even when things get tough.

Try this:

The next time you feel overwhelmed, try the “Stop. Challenge. Choose.” method. As you stop and take a deep breath, pray, “God, bring me peace and clarity.” As you challenge your emotions, ask for wisdom to understand your feelings. And as you choose how to respond, exhale and invite the peace of God to guide you. Remember, you’re not alone in your struggles – the breath of God is always with you, inspiring you to live your best life.

Let’s talk more about the actual deep breathing part.

Breathing. It’s all about becoming super aware of yourself, multiple times a day. Catch yourself and just take a moment to say, “Okay, where am I right now?” Use the traditional checks: “Where’s my breathing? Is it deep from my belly, or shallow and up in my chest?” Remember, parasympathetic is your BFF – it’s your calm, alert, relaxed mode. Sympathetic is like your stress alarm, all shallow breathing and tension. Learn to separate the two, because once you recognize how you’re feeling, you can shift it. That’s the power of self-awareness!

I’m on a journey to get better at recognizing anxious thoughts and not letting them rule me. The secret weapon? Deep breaths, better posture, and relaxation. Feel your shoulders drop, sense your body relax. That’s when you realize, “I am not my body. I am not my thoughts, my feelings.” You are in control.

You’ll start to notice things that used to bother you just roll off. Like water on a duck’s back! You’ll be aware of the stuff that used to get to you, but it won’t have the same power. That’s freedom.

Additional Resources

Journal Through the Bible in 2024

Have you ever wanted to read through the Bible but found yourself giving up? Or even worse, you read the chapters and at the end question how they apply to your life. Tricia Goyer understands. For years she felt frustrated that she couldn’t stick to her commitment to read God’s Word all the way through. Things changed when she found a doable plan and wrote out a daily prayer. Tricia’s heart changed. Her life did, too.

God can bring real transformation into your heart and life when you daily commit to reading your Bible and praying through God’s Word. Praying through the Bible in One Year offers a guided reading plan and a daily prayer starter to help you make God’s Word applicable to your life. Discover the inspiration for real-life transformation.

Purchase a copy of Praying Through the Bible in One Year HERE.