Happiness Challenge #1: 100 Breaths
Post written by Dayne. Follow him on Twitter.
20 Happy Comments
Purify With 100 Mindful Breaths.
(TheHappySelf Happiness Challenge #1: These challenges are meant to create a new awareness within you, to awaken your body and mind to happiness, and contentment. This is the first of many challenges to come. Give them a try and watch your life get better.)
I’m about to challenge you to something I bet you have never done. Something that can re-boost your life, whenever you want.
It has to do with breathing, the one thing we take for granted. The one factor that keeps us alive. The one process that sustains life and can either keep us tense, or relax our bodies via the parasympathetic nervous system. In a lifetime we take millions of breaths.
How many breaths exactly?
Let’s take a look at the numbers…
The average breathing or respiration rate for an average person, at rest, is around 16 breaths per minute. To break it out, this means that on average we breathe…
- 960 Breaths Per Hour
- 23,040 Breaths Per Day
- 8,409,600 Breaths Per Year
To find out what you would breathe in a lifetime, just multiply the age by 8.4 million roughly and you will get your answer. If you make it to 80 years old, you will have taken in just over 672 MILLION breaths in your life!
Remember, this is based on a persons average breath rate during rest. This does not take into account the increase in one’s breathing rate during exercise such as running, vigorous walking, or even sex.
So you are probably asking, “What is the point of the 100 Breaths Challenge anyway?”
It’s pretty simple really. To relax. To recharge. To reconnect. To become aware of being alive.
The Challenge: To take 100 deep breaths in a row, but most of all, be fully present and mindful of them. Sure, I know you have already taken thousands and thousands of breaths in your lifetime thus far, but have you ever take 100 FULLY AWARE breaths in a row? I’m guess you have not. That is the point of this challenge.
How to do the 100 Breaths Challenge:
1. Sit peacefully in a chair or lie down in a comfortable position. If sitting, try to keep the spine erect but not too stiff.
2. Eliminate outside noises or distractions the best you can.
3. Close your eyes.
4. Take a deep breath through your belly and breath IN at the nostrils and count in your mind, “One”. As you breathe in, the belly will rise. As you breathe out, let the belly gently fall. Let your breathe flow naturally, go with it’s natural rhythm.
5. Continue step 4 going from number 1 to 100.
6. If your mind wonders (which it will), simply come back to your count and continue.
What to expect when doing the 100 Breaths Challenge:
At first glance simply breathing 100 times may seem easy, but once you do it, you will find out that it actually can be challenging in many ways. The first thing you will probably notice is your racing mind. Buddhists call this sporadic thinking “monkey mind” because your mind tends to jump from thought to thought like a monkey jumps from limb to limb in a tree. Your mind is simply not used to focusing on ONE thing, it likes to be stimulated by many things.
You may notice that you actually lose count of where you are at in your count at some point. This is ok and completely natural. When this occurs, simply bring your mind and focus back to your count and continue. The main objective is to breathe and focus. Nothing more.
During this process your body will most likely start to fall into a state of relaxation called, “The Relaxation Response“. The Relaxation Response is a restorative state that is actually the opposite of the “fight of flight” stress response in the body. Letting the body fall into this state on a regular basis can “reset” the body and rid it of many health problems. Breathe often, and transform your life.
So that’s it! Time to take the challenge! 
Breathe In, Breathe Out
*********************************************************
Take out 20-30 minutes in your day, right now, and do the “100 Breaths Challenge”.
What I Want From You: I want to hear YOUR results, your feelings, your experiences while doing this challenge. Please comment below when you have completed it and let me know your thoughts.
Posted on September 8, 2009
Great meditation.
Something that helped me complete this challenge is that anytime my mind started wondering to a different image I would place the number I was on somewhere in the middle of the scene sesame street style.
The other thing was when I focused on the breaths, I would turn my mind to how each breathe was connected with the energy of the universe. I would follow that line of energy in each breath, and as I exhaled I was giving my energy back in to the universe.
Its really interesting to note that each breath is like a death and rebirth. The living breath comes in to our mouths where we swallow it up, but soon we send a new breath back in to the world.
JS Dixon´s last blog ..8 Common Mindsets That Will Kill Your Dreams
This was a great meditation because of it’s simplicity. The counting allowed me to get at so much focus, even though the monkey was jumping around behind me. Writing this now, I see that those thoughts had nothing to do with me. There was a breath and counting, that was all. I got a bit of the yawns but I still persevered. The focus, the meditation got so deep my breath became a vehicle. A powerful locomotive going up and down, gaining strength each time. When I got to seventy, I felt so powerful, beautiful, free to the point that I went to 105 breaths to feel more of the splendor.
I can still remember the experience, the emotional, powerful breath and how it carried me. Thanks, Namaste
I love it. I just did this at the coffeeshop I’m sitting in and, though I got a few strange looks from people sitting nearby, it was VERY relaxing and definitely cleared my mind. I just remembered something that I need to do that I had completely forgotten about.
I’m going to try to work something like this into my daily routine. Great idea!
Colin Wright´s last blog ..How To See Like A Traveler All The Time
Wow, I love this idea! I’m definitely going to take the 100 Breath Challenge because I definitely need it right now. Thanks for helping me to focus more on the moment.
Positively Present´s last blog ..the difference between happy and not unhappy
Very welcome Dani! By the way, loving your blog!
JS Dixon – I love the “Sesame Street style” method you used. Hey, as long as it keeps you focused on the number only, that is what matters. Lastly, feeling your breath as the energy of the universe is also very helpful. Breath is indeed life and energy, so concentrating on that even more will make you feel that much more alive. Thanks for commenting and sharing in this Happiness Challenge!
Dori – Welcome! Isn’t it amazing how the most simple breath meditation can be so difficult? I can totally relate to you on the breath becoming a vehicle. That is a great way to put it, because without the breath, we would not function or even be alive. I appreciate your comment!
Colin – Thanks for commenting and glad you enjoyed the challenge and it made you deeply relaxed…in a coffee shop of all places.
Isn’t it funny what the mind reveals to us when we clear the “clouds” in our minds? Thank you again for visiting here!
My A.D.D. really interferes with this exercise so I have to approach it differently. I work my way up to 25 and stop! I’ll work my way up and by next week go for 50 until I finally reach 100. Baby steps, after all, the Buddha did look like one giant toddler.
Thanks, Dayne!
Pete | The Tango Notebook´s last blog ..How to Lead and Follow Tango Like a Pro
Pete, I can only imagine things would be much harder with ADD in regards to this challenge. When I do it, I feel the same way. But I think working up is perfect practice for anyone. And yes, Buddha looked like a giant toddler…but a very plump, content, and happy one.
Thanks for the great post. I will include this into my daily meditation routine, in fact, I am off to try it now.
Thanks
Andy´s last blog ..How do we judge people?
Hey Dayne….
I would consider this challenge the toughest thing I have done in about 2 years. Honestly, I can’t remember something being so difficult for me. I couldn’t sit still. I kept moving my arms around and fidgeting. HAHAHA…. I started by having my arms above my head and within 4 breathes I was already readjusting. I did it but definitely was not as peaceful as I am sure others challenge results were.
Still an awesome challenge and thanks for sharing. Can’t wait for the others.
Dave
LifeExcursion
David Damron´s last blog ..A Sunday Morning Stroll through Hell
Hey Dayne!
Really cool post!
I remember reading about meditation and focusing on your breathing is one of the easiest ways to forget about everything around you and attain that inner peace.
I’ve never done a 100 breaths exercise, so I’ll do that tonight!
Thanks for sharing!
Diggy – Upgradereality.com´s last blog ..The Timing is Never Right
Hi Dayne –
As soon as I finished reading your post, I tried the meditation. As I counted the breaths, I noted brief thoughts/feelings that arose (on a piece of paper).
It’s my science training – I love to observe what happens. It’s probably not the ideal application of the method, but I thought I would share my notes with you.
Bottom-line: it was a fantastic experience. Very high value. Thanks for posting it. Next stop, 1000.
Best, Robin
SPONTANEOUS REFLECTIONS DURING 100 BREATH MEDITATION
3: Immediately relaxed.
5: Aware of heartbeat.
7: Aware of body pulse.
12: Life pulses through me.
25: I’m in my body.
26: I’m not my body.
34: Breathing and body are one.
38: Feelings of inner spaciousness.
41: Time is still.
43. Letting go.
47. I am the breath.
51. Everything stops.
62. There is release.
70. Light. Waves.
72. Deep connecting. Harmony.
81. Light. Connection.
90. Joy.
95. Light and joy.
Sense of slowing down.
Robin Dickinson´s last blog ..The talented person’s guide to business failure: Part 3
Hi Dayne,
I enjoyed this post. I usually do some breathing before meditating, so this was familiar to me, but I have never done “100 breaths” before.
The challenge for me wasn’t sitting there doing 100 breaths (though that can sometimes be difficult), the challenge for me was staying “present” while doing it.
I recall reading something Eckhart Tolle wrote, that being present for just one breath was better than 30 minutes of “Unpresent” meditation.
Kaizan´s last blog ..How to Make Sure That Nothing Gets Between You and Your Good Habits
Great advice. I think it is so easy to convince ourselves that we just don’t have time to stop and do what we need to focus on calming our minds. If we could just do as you suggested and devote a little time to centering and recharging, it really is amazing how much better we feel and how much more productive we can be. It’s amazing what 100 breaths can do…thanks for the post.
alternaview´s last blog ..There is no need to worry about the future
Andy – Thank you for commenting and visiting here. Glad you enjoyed the post and I hope you enjoy the challenge. Thanks again!
David – As I stated at the first part of this post, on the surface this challenge looks easy. Sure, anyone can take 100 breaths, but doing it fully mindful is a different story. Don’t worry, it was difficult for me too.
But the good news is the more we do it, the more centered we will become. It is a good “wake up” tool to make us realize how unsettled our minds and bodies currently are.
Diggy – Thanks for posting here. Yes, meditation and deep mindful breathing are perfect for bringing about a sense of inner peace. But I wouldn’t say it is necessarily easy, but I do know it is well worth it. Good luck!
Robin – Wow, what a fantastic comment. Thank you so much for taking us through your thoughts during the process and challenge! Looks like you stayed very focused for sure. You can see a big “shift” around the 50th breath. Thank you again for taking the challenge!
Kaizen – You are absolutely correct, the REAL challenge in this was not taking the 100 breaths, it was being AWARE of them all the way through. Easy? Not really. But so good for the body and mind. I LOVE that Tolle quote btw, I’m a big fan!
Alternaview – You made a great point that many people don’t think they have time to do something like this challenge or they simply make excuses. Yet at the same time, they have NO problem sitting in front of the TV or computer for hours. Hmmm. Even if we do a “20 breath” challenge a day, that can be just as rewarding if done consistently. Thanks again for commenting!
Dayne | TheHappySelf.com´s last blog ..Happiness Challenge #1: 100 Breaths
Great post. Taking time aside to find inner peace is something we should do more often. When the mind is filled with fear, worry and anxiety, you must see take out the time to silence the mind.
Nice post!
jonathanfigaro´s last blog ..How to Be Positive Guaranteed….
Great challenge!
I’ve meditated for years and usually have a difficult time explaining to others how to get to a place of “no-thought”, usually I have them focus on going deeper or will do a guided meditation with them. IN ALL THIS TIME I NEVER THOUGHT OF TELLING THEM TO COUNT!!! So simple!!! And perfect! It’s short, simple, and non-intimidating. Anyone can try it!
I will definitely pass this around!
Cheers,
Miche
Miche | Serenity Hacker´s last blog ..Einstein’s Approach to Problem Solving
Jonathan – Thank you so much for commenting. You are right, taking a “time out” to help clear the mind of fear and worry is always a good thing.
Miche – Welcome and thank you for commenting! I find counting to be one of the most effective ways to get focused while doing meditation or deep breathing. Yes, it is simple on the surface, but it is funny how the mind tries to distract. Glad you enjoyed the post!