You don’t need a complex routine next week. You need one small, stable rep you can repeat. Choose one: • 1 slow exhale before transitions • The Baseline Practice • A 30-second pause before responding • One 5-minute focus block Why this matters: Consistency reshapes identity. Small reps build strong weeks. Pick one and commit.

This week, I encouraged you to pay attention to when you noticed activation before it escalated; tension, breath shortening, irritability, rushing. Prompt: When did you catch stress earlier than usual? Why this matters: Early detection prevents spirals and reinforces clarity. Post the moments you noticed.

The jaw tightens fast under stress. Releasing it sends a signal of safety through the nervous system and helps the mind clear. Step 1 — Settle: Sit or stand tall without tension. Let the shoulders drop. Step 2 — Soften the tongue. Let the tongue fall from the roof of your mouth. This releases the floor-of-mouth muscles. Step 3 — Lightly open the jaw. Let the lower jaw hang by gravity. No stretching. Just space. Step 4 — Slide the hands down (Optional: warm your hands, place them at the temples, and slide down the sides of the face along the jawline as you exhale) Step 5 — Slow exhale. Inhale gently. Release a long, easy exhale with the jaw relaxed. Step 6 — Repeat 3 times. Look for small shifts: softer face, easier breath, less internal pressure. Why it works: Jaw release quiets the trigeminal nerve, opens the throat, improves vagal tone, and reduces cognitive load. Use it anytime you feel bracing, overwhelm, or mental noise.

In this session I talk about the "cyclic sigh" and my experiences running a 100kilometer race through the mountains over the weekend that was very challenging! I discuss some of those challenges and the tactics I used to get me through.

We are doing our second live call in 30 minutes! You can join us right here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7574698374?pwd=RGViWm9VaTdPdXNPMUp6RGZDTmN1dz09&omn=82216437159 @Chris Gingrich @Chris Mayne @Judith Hawkins @Stella Prime @R Alex @Michael Whiteside