Breath: The Leadership Tool Hiding in Plain Sight

Just Breathe.

If you had asked me a few years ago if I needed help with breathing, I would’ve smiled politely and said, “No thank you—I’m already doing that just fine.”

Breathing is automatic, right?

It’s one of the few things we do from the moment we’re born until the moment we die. So we don’t think about it. We don’t question it.

We just… breathe.

And yet, that quiet rhythm—so natural, so essential—was something I didn’t realize I had so much to relearn.

It started with a book.

Breath by James Nestor.

Maybe you’ve read it. Maybe you’ve heard of it. If not, consider this your gentle nudge to pick it up.

Nestor dives deep into something we all overlook: the way we breathe affects everything. Our health, our focus, our anxiety, our energy levels, our sleep—even our posture and jaw structure.

He writes:

“The missing pillar in health is breath.”

And as I kept reading, something shifted.

I began to see that the way I had been breathing—shallow, rushed, mostly through the mouth—wasn’t supporting me. It was draining me.

And that’s when I brought it to the mat.

Alongside my work with a personal trainer over several years, I began integrating breath into my bodywork, my wind-down routine, and eventually… into my life.

It wasn’t dramatic.

It was subtle. Consistent. Intentional.

The kind of shift you don’t always notice at first—until you feel yourself coming back to center, more often, more gently.

Here are a few takeaways that have stayed with me from Nestor’s book:

1. Breathe through your nose.

It sounds simple, but most of us aren’t doing it consistently. Nose breathing filters, warms, and humidifies the air, and triggers a calming parasympathetic response in the body. Mouth breathing, by contrast, can cause stress, fatigue, and even health issues over time.

2. Slow it down.

The healthiest breathers take fewer breaths per minute—around 5 to 6. Slower, deeper breathing improves oxygen efficiency and lowers blood pressure. It’s not about more air; it’s about better air flow.

3. Exhales matter.

A long, complete exhale helps regulate the nervous system and signals to your body: You’re safe. It’s why breathwork is such a powerful tool for anxiety, burnout, and overwhelm.

4. Your breath is your anchor.

When your mind races or your world spins too fast, your breath is the place you can return to. It’s with you in every room, every meeting, every moment. You don’t need equipment or a schedule. You just need presence.

Today, breathwork is part of how I begin and end my days.

It’s how I wind down.

It’s how I lead with calm when things feel chaotic.

It’s how I come home to myself.

And maybe that’s why I’m writing this.

To remind you—lovingly—that breath isn’t just something we have.

It’s something we can cultivate.

So if you’ve been feeling stretched, scattered, or subtly off… start here.

Close your eyes.

Inhale slowly through your nose.

Hold.

Exhale gently and fully.

Again.

And again.

Your body already knows the way.

You just have to listen.