Escape the Fear Loop—How 3 Minutes of Breathwork Can Rewire Your Brain for Success

A few years ago, I thought I had everything figured out.

I was doing all the right things—working hard, making strategic decisions, pushing myself to grow. On paper, my business was moving in the right direction, but deep down, something felt… off.

Every morning, I’d wake up and immediately feel that low-grade tension in my chest. It wasn’t full-blown stress, but it was always there—this quiet, nagging pressure reminding me that I needed to keep pushing.

I was constantly scanning for the next thing that could go wrong. The next bill. The next client that might say no. The next moment when things might slow down.

And I didn’t even realize I was doing it.

I was operating from fear—not in the dramatic, paralyzing way that people talk about, but in a slow, subtle, creeping way that made me feel like I was never fully safe.

I thought I was just being practical. I told myself that “this is just how business is.” But the reality was: I had built my business as a response to fear, not as an expression of creation.

And because of that, every decision I made was coming from a contracted place.

I was trying to get away from failure instead of moving toward something bigger. I was focused on avoiding loss rather than creating possibility. I was chasing security instead of expansion.

And the worst part? Even though I was succeeding, it never felt like enough.

That’s when I knew something had to change.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but my body had learned to default to stress.

It didn’t matter how much money I made or how much success I created—my nervous system was still operating as if something bad was about to happen.

Because at some point in my journey, I had trained myself to believe:

?? More stress = more progress.

?? Tension = success.

?? If I stop grinding, I might lose everything.

And when your body believes that stress is necessary for success, you will always default back to survival mode—no matter how much evidence there is that you’re safe.

That’s when I realized:

?? I can’t think my way out of this. I have to rewire my body’s response to success.

And that’s where breathwork changed everything.

At first, I didn’t think breathwork could make that much of a difference.

I had meditated before. I had journaled. I had tried “relaxing.” But nothing ever seemed to shift the core of what I was feeling.

Then I tried a simple breathwork practice—and within minutes, I felt something shift.

My mind went quiet. My chest loosened. And for the first time in months, I felt completely present.

It turns out, breathwork isn’t just about “calming down.”

?? It’s about resetting your nervous system—shifting from a state of contraction and survival into a state of openness and trust.

?? It’s about breaking the addiction to stress so that you can feel safe expanding, not just surviving.

?? It’s about giving your body a new default setting—one that isn’t wired for fear, but for creativity, clarity, and ease.

And the best part? It takes less than 3 minutes to shift.

This is the breathwork practice I use anytime I feel myself slipping into fear-based decision-making:

?? 3-Minute Reset:

1. Breathe in deeply through your nose for 4 seconds.
2. Hold for 4 seconds.
3. Exhale slowly for 8 seconds.
4. Repeat for 3 minutes.
5. Then at the end do a 30 to 60-second breath retention on the exhale.

At first, you might not notice much. But if you do this consistently, you’ll start to feel:

? More clarity before making decisions

? More trust in your ability to navigate uncertainty

? Less urgency to force things or control outcomes

Because here’s the secret: The more your body trusts that it’s safe, the more your business flows.

I started doing this breathwork practice every morning before making decisions.

At first, it felt small—like it wasn’t enough to create real change. But within weeks, everything started to shift.

?? I stopped making fear-based decisions. Instead of trying to avoid loss, I started leaning into expansion.

?? I stopped forcing things. I realized that the more relaxed I was, the more success came effortlessly—clients, opportunities, ideas.

?? I felt safe to slow down, knowing that my business wouldn’t fall apart if I wasn’t constantly on.

The crazy part? The moment I stopped leading from fear, my business grew faster than ever before.

Because here’s the truth: The energy you lead with is the energy your business reflects.

When you create from fear, your business feels like a struggle. When you create from love, your business feels like freedom.

And the only way to shift from one to the other?

?? Teach your body how to feel safe in expansion.

Most people try to change their thoughts. But real transformation happens when you change your state.

So here’s my challenge for you this week:

?? Before making any big decision, pause and do 3 minutes of breathwork.

?? Instead of reacting from stress, wait until you feel open and clear.

?? Then make your decision from that space.

And watch how your entire business starts to shift.

If you’re ready to step out of survival mode for good and build a business that feels light, expansive, and aligned, I just opened two spots for my Roadmap to New Results Consultation—a free 90-minute session where we’ll design your personal system to create from trust, not fear.

?? Click here to book before they’re gone.

Until next week, breathe deeply and create from love. ??

— Cody