Pause: Exhale and Release
The world we perceive is greatly shaped by the state of our nervous system. It affects what we notice, how we interpret events, and how safe or threatened we feel. That’s why learning to harness our breath to activate our body’s built-in relaxation response is such a powerful skill to help move through life with more joy, peace and ease.
Today’s “Take A Moment” two-minute micro-meditation—“Letting Go Breath”—is one of mindfulness teacher and psychotherapist Katie Dutcher’s favorite practices for shifting from anxiety to calm. Katie explains, “When we slow down and lengthen our exhale—especially through gently pursed lips, like blowing through a straw—we signal safety to the brain via the vagus nerve, helping us transition out of stress and into ease.”
Here’s another quick, fun and effective nervous system-calming practice called “Horse Lips” that I recently learned from Dr. Nicole LePera:
Take a deep breath in through your nose.
As you exhale, blow out your lips like a horse—loose, vibrating, fluttering lips.
Do it 2–3 times. Let your cheeks bounce, jaw jiggle, and shoulders drop.
“Yes, it looks silly. That’s part of the magic,” Dr. LePera says, “This goofy little move sends a clear signal to your nervous system: We’re not in danger anymore. It mimics a neurogenic tremor—a natural way mammals discharge survival stress. And it’s weirdly calming.”
Tiny pauses to be right here, right now can have big results. Visit and bookmark our library of twenty Take a Moment micro-meditations—all under two minutes long—that make taking mindful pauses as easy as possible. We invite you to "Take a Moment" to find the calm that is always within you.
