Hi I’m Donna Stephens and welcome to “The Well” to BE Inspired with your eyes! Did you know that you can improve the quality of your breath and thought processes just by changing the focus of your eyes?

Being in stressful situations at home or work. Being in front of a computer screen for extended periods of time or being glued to our cell phones, is like tunnel vision narrowing our focus on what is in front of us. This can be beneficial short term when we have a detailed task or an emergency. But we were not designed to live there.

Like the proverbial deer standing and staring into the headlights, our mind and body also react and respond to each other in the hormones of stress. When the focus of our eyes narrow, our diaphragm partially constricts causing our breath to become shallow. Increasing tension and stress in our mind and body. Narrow focus compartmentalizes our brain so when we are focusing hard on one object or task, it tunes out other areas of our brain. This can be beneficial short term when we have a detailed task or in an emergency situation. But we were not designed to live there and if we do, we start to feel constricted in our mind and body. Like a hamster running on a wheel around and around, trying to catch our breath as we are continually thinking and feeling along the same lines over and over again.

The beauty of our mind and body connection is that it only takes a few seconds to change our narrow focus to an open, expanded focus. Open focus allows our diaphragm to move freely and for us to breathe deeply. Open focus invites different compartments of our brain to communicate with each other, allowing our mind the opportunity to come up with fresh, new and creative ideas and potentials.

Here’s some examples of going from narrow to open focus for you to try:

Using your cell phone, your computer screen or a piece of paper, focus your eyes on one letter or one number as hard as you can. As you do notice the quality of your breath in narrow focus. Now as you continue to look at that one letter or number expand, soften your eyes and open your focus. Expand your awareness towards the edges of the screen or paper. As you do notice the quality of your breath is freer and deeper in open focus.

Hold your hand out in front of you and stare hard at one of your fingernails. Notice the quality of your breath in narrow focus. Continue to look at your fingernail soften your eyes and open your focus, expanding your awareness towards the outer edges of your hand. Then notice the quality of your breath is freer and deeper in open focus.

You can choose when to be laser-focused and when to expand and open your focus to bring fresh, new ideas and energy into the moment. If stress is building up, your feeling overwhelmed or your breathing is shallow, soften your eyes and open your focus. Take a few seconds to support your mind, your body, your wellbeing in any situation. BE Inspired with your eyes!