At age 15, musician and entertainer Alex Boyé found himself homeless and alone on the streets of London eating out of a trash can. Unsatisfied with his life he made a plan to dance away his sadness at a local club and then take his life. While at the dance club a three minute and fifty-eight second inspirational song provided 10 years worth of therapy for Alex. He decided in that moment that life was worth living. Since that time Alex has devoted his life to providing uplifting, awesome entertainment. He is committed to providing adolescents an opportunity to have a dialogue about suicide and empowering them with tools to fight the destructive influences of anxiety and depression. Caleb Cottle, a Founder of Cascade Academy in Midway, Utah was invited by Alex to share a message about the destructive effects of anxiety.

Everyone experiences anxiety, it is part of the human experience. An anxiety disorder occurs when someone is unable to achieve their goals or participate in their desired daily life functions as a result of their anxiety. In the past year diagnosable anxiety disorders amongst teens has increased 22%. This means that 52% of all adolescents struggle with debilitating anxiety. While clinical therapy, medication and self care can be important tools for addressing anxiety, there are health and wellness practices that can also curb the effects of anxiety on a daily basis.

Our breath is the remote control of our mind. If we can control our breathing, we can control our mind. Interesting things take place psychologically when we breath slowly through our nose – our heart rate slows and our body quits producing the stress hormone cortisol. A slow, calculated breathing pattern through our nose can change our emotional state as well. Watch this clip as Caleb walks you through a simple breathing exercise that will help you stay focused and find peace as you navigate a stressful life.