When I was travelling two weeks ago I installed a meditation app on my phone to help me relax on airplanes and in hotels. Today as I was using the app, the narrator told me to focus on how my body felt as I slowly breathed in through my nose and exhaled out through my mouth. As I took a few slow breaths, I realized at that moment how tired and sore my body felt. If I hadn’t taken a break for these few minutes of stillness and inward reflection, it’s likely that I would have spent the whole day without noticing my fatigue or the soreness in my back and shoulders.

It’s important to take time to listen to my body and care for it properly, especially now that I’m in my 40s and seem to be quite skilled at tripping and falling. It’s also critical that I find daily opportunities for quiet reflection so that I can listen to my mind and heart without the distractions that come from everyday life. It’s so easy to neglect my physical, emotional and spiritual needs by focusing on other things, whether it’s essential activities such as work or diversions such as TV or the radio.

Slow breaths.