Strategies for Surviving Meltdown Mode: Lessons Learned from Those Who've Been There
Sweating palms, shaking legs and tears. I looked over my shoulder at the women sitting one row behind me across the aisle. She was approaching panic and our airplane had not even started its engines. I asked if she was ok or needed some help. She looked at me and apologized repeatedly saying that it was her first flight and she was scared. Her two young boys sat quietly watching her. I could tell that she was trying to put on a good face for them and honestly, failing miserably.
Anxiety, fear, stress can be completely immobilizing, striking at the least expected times. As I started to talk with this young mother, it was clear that her anxiety had been building and she had no way to understand how to cope with it. Slowly we spoke as we sat on the tarmac, waiting for our flight to begin. She shared with me that she hadn’t even packed suitcases or activities to occupy her young children on the 6 hour flight ahead of us. Her fear and panic had been building for days, rendering her helpless.
We have all been there in that position, whether it be due to work stress, relationship issues, or health concerns. Sometimes, the stress and anxiety creeps up on you quietly, sometimes it hits quickly and strongly. Whatever the case might be, we struggle with how to cope. It is not uncommon for people to feel anxious, lost, angry or desolate when these feelings hit. I empathized with this young woman, she was quietly losing her cool. I asked if I could help teach her some breathing techniques to help her through take off and she gratefully accepted.
As I calmly and quietly explained to her the technique I wished for her to do, she listened, legs shaking and tears streaming. Her young boys shyly smiled as I winked at them to let them know it was all going to be ok. Closing her eyes, this young woman opened her mind and listened as I guided her through calming her breathing and becoming mindful of her stress and learning how to override it through her breathwork. I could see the physical signs that she was beginning to relax. The tears slowed and stopped, the shaking legs began to calm and still and she opened her mind to breathing in and out through measured counted breaths. It was working! Our plane began to taxi down the runway as we continued to breathe together. I reached out and held her hand as the plane took to the air. The rest of the flight was uneventful.
So what do we do when we approach meltdown mode? All of us have been there at least once in our life. I have felt incredibly lucky to be surrounded by people who have learned and been willing to share yoga techniques with me. My journeys over the years have led me to articles and materials from some of the best wellness professionals in the industry and they all agree that one of the most available tools at our disposal is also the least used. Our breath.
Our journey here at Breathe Alaska, is simple. We will help guide you through breathwork so that you never have to feel the panic and anxiety of the young woman on the plane. We would like to give you the tools to begin your breath work journey and empower you to calm your thoughts, open your mind and breathe your stress away. Come take this journey with us.
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