Now you can do the Belly Breath with Mecai too
“We did the belly breath, and I taught her the box breath.” Strength Ambassador, Mecai.
On Wednesday afternoons, the students and I gather around a small table in MissionFit’s meeting room (which doubles as an office and a kitchen). We do breathwork, journal, and talk, diving into mindfulness practice.
On a recent Wednesday, I introduced self-awareness during our Strength Ambassador session. After some breathwork exercises, the students defined self-awareness in their journals. What does it mean? Is it good or bad? Why? What role does it have in your life?
Our dialogue opened with Mecai sharing that he is more self-aware after witnessing violence in his neighborhood. One of his best friends died in a shooting right in front of him, and since that day, he has been hypervigilant whenever he is alone. He is aware of his feelings, especially while noticing what other people are doing around him.
I teach the students that breathwork can anchor them when they are feeling something distressing, to see what’s happening in their bodies and minds, and to relieve stressful moments.
Mecai is becoming more self-aware and taking care of himself in difficult moments. I am amazed that he is teaching his peers to do the same.
Mecai recently told me that he supported his girlfriend during a panicked moment about her grandmother dying, something Mecai went through last year. I asked, “So, what did you do?” he replied, “Basically, I just held on to her and stayed close, and we walked together.”
I checked in to see how this made him feel, given his recent loss as well. He said that it started to bring up feelings but that he could navigate it. I asked him, “Did you use any of the mindfulness techniques we’ve been working on?”
He said, “We did the belly breath, and I taught her the box breath; I had already taught her the belly breath, but I led her in the box breath because those were the only two I could remember.”
I am incredibly proud of Mecai for taking action to help his girlfriend and for embodying what it means to be a Strength Ambassador.
–Coach Wes
