My name is Jamil, and this is called, Just Breathe. It’s been a lot of times where I really know exactly what to do next. I got anxious out of panic before. I did a lot of things, and it put me in a lot of situations I didn’t know I was getting into mentally, because being incarcerated is a stigma with mental health and Black men. So I learned just to breathe, focusing on my breath, focusing on my breathing, not worrying about the past, not trying to predict the future, because I’m still fighting. I’m fighting for me. Who gonna fight for me like me? Who gonna fight with me? I don’t need nobody to fight for me. I just need somebody in my corner. Those the type of thoughts that got me very anxious and rolling in circles and circles and circles. So I just pause and just breathe, because if I don’t know nothing, I know this, it’s gonna be okay.
So with every breath I’m breathing in, I’m holding it, and I’m breathing out everything that’s doubtful about everything that I got going on in front of me. I know it’s not easy trying to get home to my family, trying to survive in prison, being a waste for so long, being anxious, knowing I’m close to the door, what I’m gonna do? I’ve been gone since I’ve been 16 years old. I’ve been locked up for 16 years. I’m 32 [laughs]. I don’t even really know how to drive on the [unclear]. I don’t know what to do with a crowd at Walmart. What do I supposed to do? I get anxious a lot, but I know just to breathe. So if I had any advice to anybody that might get stuck in their thoughts, that might get confused on what to do next, just breathe. Breathe in. Relax. Keep your belly soft. Breathe out. Try your best to stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system. Stuff that stimulates the brakes, almost in a sense, slow you down. Just breathe, I said. Thank you.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio.
