âLittle Dogâs Rhapsody in the Nightâ by Mary Oliver
He puts his cheek against mine
and makes small, expressive sounds.
And when Iâm awake, or awake enough
he turns upside down, his four paws
in the air
and his eyes dark and fervent.
âTell me you love me,â he says.
âTell me again.â
Could there be a sweeter arrangement? Over and over
he gets to ask.
I get to tell.
My husband and I had a wonderful weekendâdinners out, barbecuing, baking, and spending time with friends. Our home was full of conversation, laughter, and good food. Even our dog, The Bearâa sweet, extroverted lover of all beingsâhad a great time.
And yet, I found myself completely wiped out. I kept thinking: too much of a good thing can still be too much. Even joyful occasions can leave us feeling overwhelmed. I felt exhausted and overstimulatedâuntil I glanced over at The Bear, passed out on a pillow on the couch, refusing to move. That was my cue: time to pause, recharge, and take a breath.
That moment got me thinkingânot just about my own exhaustion, but about how often we push past our limits in the name of doing more, especially in leadership.
For many leaders, constant stress and the potential for exhaustion are a quiet undercurrent of daily lifeâdriven by pressures that include meeting revenue and profit goals, managing difficult team dynamics, navigating tariffs and shifting political landscapes, and carrying responsibility for decisions that affect people and outcomes, to name just a few.
In this monthâs newsletter, I want to share a simple but powerful practice I brought home from a recent hiking, biking, and meditation retreat at the Himalayan Institute: diaphragmatic belly breathing. This technique has been helping me reset, recharge, and show up with greater ease and presence.
My massage therapist, Nema Nyar, also emphasized the importance of activating the parasympathetic nervous systemâthe bodyâs natural ârest and digestâ modeâthrough diaphragmatic belly breathing. Itâs one of the most effective and accessible ways to quiet the mind and calm the body.
Recognizing the need to slow down and reset isnât just about self-careâitâs foundational to how we show up as leaders in our personal lives, communities, and organizations. Grounded, intentional presence begins with regulating our breathâand ourselves.
Animals Know When to Rest
Animals naturally breathe diaphragmatically, especially when they are at rest or feeling safe. In fact, watching a relaxed animalâlike a dog lying on its side or a cat curled in a sunny spotâis one of the best demonstrations of deep, belly-centered breathing.
How Animals Breathe at Rest
- When calm, their abdomen rises and falls gentlyâa sign of diaphragmatic belly breathing.
- Their chest barely moves, because the diaphragm is doing the work.
- Their breath is quiet, slow, and rhythmic, naturally regulating their nervous system.
Why This Matters (and What We Can Learn)
- Animals donât override their breath with tension or overthinkingâhumans do.
- Under stress, we tend to breathe shallowly, using the upper chest.
- Animals donât cling to thoughtsâthey follow their bodyâs cues, which helps keep them regulated and groundedâsomething we, too, can relearn.
Ever Watch a Sleeping Dog?
- Youâll see their belly move in and out slowly, sometimes followed by a big sighâa natural nervous system âreset.â
- That sigh is a natural parasympathetic (rest and digest) responseâthe bodyâs way of saying: âIâm safe. I can let go.â
In Summary
Yes, animals do diaphragmatic belly breathing by default, especially in restful states. Itâs part of how they stay regulated and recover from stressâsomething humans can consciously relearn by observing and practicing the same technique.