200: Finding Your Breath and Igniting Your Fire with Michelle Hillier

Many people go through their day always having to do something. Whether that’s getting involved in your kid’s activities, running errands, or working – you do things every day to ignite your fire. Even when you work out, you think the harder, faster, or heavier it is, the better.  The question is, do you still have the time to breathe? It’s important to understand that as much as you’re igniting your fire within, you also have to find your breath.  On today’s episode, Duane speaks with Michelle Hillier, speaker, recovery coach, and mind/body educator, about finding your breath and fire and balancing both as you come home to your authentic self. Michelle shares her story of alcoholism and recovery. Now sober for over a year, Michelle feels she has entered her authentic self again, after being lost for 25 years. Movement, yoga, and breathwork were essential parts of her recovery process, which she also teaches to other people through her speaking and workshops across organizations. In this episode, you will hear: Michelle’s story of recovery Hiding the need for support through alcohol Glamorizing booze amidst the pandemic How she found her authentic self Finding her middle way between breath and fire How to use movement, breathwork, and yoga to connect to your authentic self Key Quotes: [16:32] - “I thought ‘what would my life look like without alcohol? And then I would just not want to think about it and continue drinking.” [27:26] - "Breath and Fire was birthed out of my recovery." [29:03] - “Having either a pilot light or a blazing inferno, how do we find this optimal, controlled blaze? The birth of Breath and Fire is from recognizing in my day – when do I need breath and when do I need fire?” [31:09] - “When are you taking time, even just 10 minutes, to let your nervous system settle and find your breath?” [32:59] - “If you want to squat or do a stretch or whatever it is, move the energy through your body.” [34:15] - "Meditation is just being aware of our thoughts. Sitting in physical stillness and closing your eyes... connect to your breath, be aware of it." [40:56] - “There's lots of power in one breath. Never forget that.” Subscribe and Review Have you subscribed to our podcast? We’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet.  We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. If you really enjoyed this episode, we’ve created a PDF that has all of the key information for you from the episode. Just go to the episode page at www.theaddictedmind.com to download it. Supporting Resources: NovusMindfulLife.com Website: https://www.breathandfire.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breathandfire  Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices