I had the absolute privilege and honour of helping celebrate my mum’s 80th birthday over the past two weeks. Not only is it amazing to see her reach this milestone, but after the major health challenges she’s faced over the last 12 months, seeing her healthy, happy, and living her best life was incredibly inspiring. The spirit in her is more alive than ever. Watching her overcome such devastating odds and come out the other side stronger, happier, and with the best mindset I have ever seen her in was nothing short of incredible. She’s embraced her second chance with both hands,  a living reminder that every day really is a gift.

The last few weeks of travel, celebrations, and different environments from my normal rhythm also meant that I made different decisions. Easter, family gatherings, birthdays, a dear friend’s farewell party… I chose to enjoy a few drinks, some Easter chocolate, and meals out,  and I don’t regret a second of it. The energy, the love, the laughter , it was soul food at its finest.

But what was fascinating was how quickly my body spoke up.
My energy changed. Brain fog rolled back in. Old aches in my back and knee reappeared, digestion slowed, and even my sinuses flared up again.
And sugar , wow. I’d forgotten how quickly it hooks you back in. Cravings returned fast, reminding me just how easy it is to fall back into old patterns when the environment changes.

It’s been a powerful lesson.
A reminder that everything,  every single thing,  we put in our bodies either moves us closer to or further away from our best selves.
The good news is that the foundations I’ve built over the last 14 weeks, hydration, lemon water, daily steps, cold showers, anchored me. I didn’t crash back to square one. I simply received valuable feedback from my body about what it truly needs.

This experiment is working exactly as I hoped.
Showing me, in real-time , what serves me, what drains me, and how quickly the body responds when we honour or ignore its needs.
Every decision causes an effect.

After all this reflection, it feels perfect that this week’s habit is about coming back to centre. Reconnecting to the one thing that grounds and guides me  when everything else feels chaotic: our breath.

Why Breathwork?

Breathwork has been a powerful tool for me ever since my spider bite incident a couple years ago, the one that almost cost me my life. During my recovery, one of my good friends was studying breathwork and did a session with me. What I experienced was nothing short of insane. Waves of energy moving through my body, emotional release I didn’t even know I was holding onto… it was a turning point.

Since then, breathwork has become one of my most trusted tools to reset my nervous system, manage stress, and reconnect with myself.

One of the reasons  I am  so excited to bring breathwork back into focus is because I know how deeply it changes everything, not just mentally, but physically too. When I  slow down and consciously breathe, something incredible happens inside me. The nervous system shifts gears, moving from that constant ‘fight or flight’ chaos into a space of calm and rest. You can literally feel your heart rate slow, your muscles unclench, and your mind begin to clear.

For me, it’s like oxygen is finally reaching parts of my body and brain that have been holding their breath for too long. There’s a noticeable boost in energy, focus, and even creativity when I make space for deep, intentional breathing. It’s almost like giving my cells permission to work properly again, better oxygen, better flow, better energy.

There’s also something powerful about the emotional release that breathwork can bring. It’s like all the pent-up stress, worry, and fear that gets trapped in the body finds a way out. Sometimes it’s subtle; sometimes it’s a storm. But every time, I feel lighter afterwards, more connected to myself, and strangely more resilient to whatever life decides to throw at me.

And even the science backs it up. Breathwork has been shown to support better digestion, strengthen the immune system, regulate blood pressure, and enhance heart-brain connection. I’ve noticed it firsthand,  my gut feels calmer, my stress levels don’t spike so easily, and my mind feels sharper and steadier when breathwork is part of my day.

It’s simple, it’s powerful, and it costs nothing but a few minutes. Breath by breath, it’s one of the easiest ways to come back home to yourself.

Tools That Help Me

This time, I’m keeping it simple.
I found an amazing YouTube channel  Breathe with Sandy  and it’s taken all the hard work out of figuring out what to do. His sessions are calming, grounding, and fit  into my lifestyle. I usually pick sessions between 10–20 minutes, depending on the day.
If you’re short on time or overwhelmed, just start here. One breath session, one day at a time.

I  also incorporating HeartMath breathing an amazing coach and friend introduced me to this @jackieblack.  It’s a method that syncs the heart and brain into coherence. It is fast and effective. 
It can be as quick as 60 seconds. It’s the perfect tool when life goes into chaos. 
Simply slow your breathing, focus on your heart area, and imagine breathing in calm and breathing out stress.
It’s like hitting the reset button — and it works. Check out https://www.heartmath.org/

The New Morning Ritual

I am  layering breathwork straight after my strength training in the mornings.
It helps me calm my mind, focus my energy, and step into the day with intention instead of chaos.

This isn’t just about a new habit.
It’s about remembering that when we change our energy, we change our lives.
Shifting perspective, shifting breath, shifting mindset , it’s all connected.

And honestly?
After the last two weeks of beautiful,  joyful imperfection.
It feels damn good to come back to my breath.