Finding My Breath: How I Eased Anxiety This Week with Simple Techniques and Happy Stick Incense

This past week, anxiety had me in a chokehold. I felt like I couldn’t catch my breath  mentally or physically. Deadlines were piling up, my mind and heart wouldn’t stop racing, and even the smallest things felt overwhelming. I knew I needed to find some calm fast but when you’re in the middle of an anxious spiral, even “just breathe” feels like too much.

That’s when I went back to basics: my breath.

The Breath is the Anchor

Breathing sounds like the most natural thing, right? But when anxiety takes over, our breath becomes shallow, sharp, or we hold it altogether and that makes everything worse. I realized I hadn’t been breathing deeply all week. So I paused everything, lit my Happy Stick Incense, and sat down with intention. Intention is the key.

The Breathe scent filled my space, instantly creating a ritual — a signal to my nervous system that it was okay to slow down. That little spark of peace gave me permission to just be still.

Here’s what helped me most this week:

🌬️ 3 Breathing Techniques That Helped Calm My Anxiety

1. Box Breathing (4-4-4-4)

Perfect when your mind feels chaotic.
How to do it:

• Inhale for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 seconds

• Exhale for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 seconds
  Repeat 4–6 rounds while visualizing a square or counting with your fingers.

2. The Sigh Breath

This one felt like a natural release.

• Inhale deeply through your nose

• Exhale audibly through your mouth with a “haaa” sound

• Do it 3–5 times, letting your shoulders drop with each exhale

It’s simple but surprisingly powerful. It’s your body’s way of letting go.

3. Incense-Guided Breathing

I used the slow curl of smoke from my Happy Stick Incense as a visual guide.
With each breath, I followed the rise and fall of the smoke, letting it pace my inhales and exhales. It turned a stressful moment into a gentle ritual.

Why Happy Stick Incense Helped Me

It wasn’t just the scent even though that was amazing too. It was the intentional act of lighting something, sitting down, and committing to stillness, again with setting intentions. Happy Stick’s Breathe, calming aroma grounded me in the present. The smell alone became a reminder: “You are safe. You can breathe.”

Final Thoughts

If you're feeling anxious take a pause. Even just for one minute. Create a moment for yourself. Your breath is always available, and it’s always powerful. Add tools that help you want to pause for me it's incense, music, and a pair of fuzz socks, find what works best for you.

This week reminded me that anxiety will visit, but it doesn’t get to stay. Not when I have my breath and a little help from Happy Stick Incense.