Written by: Dr. Petra Frese Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. When striving for success, it is essential to have failsafe techniques at hand that are easy to use, discreet, and always available. The breath is a tool we use so many times each day, yet it is easy to forget its power. Through the breath, we can stimulate our brain and switch between the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous system. The way you breathe can strongly influence the outcome of your presentation, meeting, or task. Here are 3 simple exercises to help put you in the right state when tackling any situation so you can become even more successful. The powerful tool for success that you always have available There is one tool for success that we all carry with us constantly. You have it with you, no matter what. It is easy to use, and you don’t need to carry a heavy bag everywhere you go. You can use this tool everywhere, whether you are by yourself or around other people. Nobody will know. You can use it on the go or when you have a quiet moment. You can use it while you are doing other things. It’s a tool we use many, many times every day. Yet, we tend to take it for granted. Do you know what that tool is? The Breath can be your most useful tool to achieve success We breathe about 16 times per minute, 960 times per hour, accumulating to about 22’000 times daily. Oftentimes, we take our breath for granted, and we tend to forget how we can use it to manage stress, balance out energy, and increase our focus and productivity, among other things. The Nasal Cycle Test You can use a simple test to determine whether you operate primarily in the parasympathetic or the sympathetic nervous system at any given moment. The Nasal Cycle Test was first developed in 1895 by German physician Richard Kayser. For this self-test, place a finger under your nose and feel which nostril your breath passes through more easily. The dominant nostril tells you much about your current state. If your right nostril passes more air, your sympathetic nervous system is stimulated, and there is more left-brain activity. You might feel alert, on the go, and ready for physical activity and action. If you can feel more air pass through your left nostril, your parasympathetic nervous circuit is stimulated at that moment, and there is more right-brain activity. You might feel relaxed and empathetic. Calm and creativity benefit from this circuit. Keep in mind that this changes several times throughout the day. Depending on which result your test brings, you can choose your breathing exercise accordingly. You can also influence your state by choosing to breathe through only one nostril for a short while. 3 practical breathing exercises to help you be more successful in