Talk "Breathing: the silent tool to manage and improve our performance" by Sara Sarmento

If you knew there was something you do more than 20,000 times a day, every day of your life, wouldn’t it be worth learning a little about it? And what if you were told that this very thing impacts every aspect of your life—your physical and mental health, energy, vitality, mood, focus, and even sleep, just to name a few?

That “thing” is breathing! Something so simple and innate that we do it from the moment we are born until the day we die. Yet, we only pay attention to it when we feel unwell, sick, panicked, or extremely anxious. However, even though breathing is automatic and unconscious, it can—and should—also be voluntary and conscious. Just as we train and develop our bodies and intellect, we can and should learn to work on our breathing.

In this Talk, we will explore the impact and potential of breathing in managing stress, anxiety, focus, and mental clarity. At the highest levels, success is a mental game, and both top executives and elite athletes use breathing and meditation to prepare and handle challenges. Here, we will understand how just five minutes of intentional breathing can completely shift our state of mind, bringing clarity and calm so that instead of reacting (impulsively, without thought), we can respond (consciously, with choice).