A boost from Juliette: Finding sanity in 60-second breaks (even if it means hiding in your closet)
I once sat on my closet floor with the door locked while my daughter stood outside having a full preschooler meltdown about bedtime. Okay, it was more than once.
I can still remember feeling myself about to snap - that moment when you know if you don't step away, words might come out that you don’t want to utter.
The emotions literally flooded me, and I now know more about why that happens. It was my brain's ancient wiring doing exactly what it's supposed to do - trying to keep me “safe”.
But when that primitive part of our brain takes the driver's seat, it hijacks our ability to respond the way we actually want to.
And hijacked is really the way I felt.
The good news is that you don't need a 30-minute meditation practice to reset (though that's great if you can!).
Sometimes all it takes is 30-60 seconds of:
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Closing your eyes and taking three deep breaths
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Sitting in your car for an extra minute before walking into evening chaos
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Yes, even stepping into your closet if you need to
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Focusing on one sense - like really feeling your feet on the ground
These tiny moments aren't about escaping.
They're about giving your frontal lobe the micro-break it needs to get back in the driver's seat.
These days, when I feel that familiar flood rising, I remember my closet floor moments and take that pause.
Because sometimes the smallest moments make the biggest difference.
One breath at a time,
Juliette
P.S. Stay tuned for occasional individual stories from us sprinkled in to our regular Weekly Boost content