How many times have you been told to “think positive”...?

It’s easier said than done.

On most days, we experience a flurry of emotions - our logical mind and deeper feelings pulling us in different directions. In the moment, it can become difficult to focus, think clearly, or know what to do next.

As with our skin and the body’s continual pursuit of homeostasis, what we seek is balance.

Being told to “think positive” asks us to change our thoughts while our bodies may still be experiencing stress, fear or anger. Whereas HeartMath’s Quick Coherence Technique offers a more practical route: it begins with the body and then introduces a positive emotional focus.

The technique is intended to help the body move towards a more ordered physiological state, which HeartMath calls “coherence.” This is assessed through patterns in heart-rate variability, or HRV (the natural variation in time between successive heartbeats). Through slow, heart-focused breathing, the technique is designed to help us regulate our response to stress and negativity.

So, rather than simply giving us an instruction (i.e. “think positive”) it gives us structure.

Instead of demanding a different mindset when we are overwhelmed by everyday stressors, it offers focused attention and emotional recall.

It asks us to connect with a genuine feeling, not adopt or convince ourselves of a false belief.

HeartMath’s Quick Coherence Technique never asks us to deny that a situation is difficult or painful, whether the challenge involves our skin, our body or our emotional wellbeing. Instead, through it we can learn to access a supportive inner resource; a feeling of care, appreciation, safety or calm that can coexist with the challenges we are already experiencing.

Taking only a few minutes (with guided instructions), the goal is not necessarily to become instantly happy. It’s simply to feel ease and a sense of inner harmony… to regain resilience and choose a more logical, balanced response before deciding what it is we do next. 

Heart-centred breathing also indirectly supports skin health by reducing perceived stress and helping the nervous and hormonal systems return towards homeostasis. Persistent psychological stress disturbs your body’s immune regulation, increases skin inflammation and, in some people, promotes excess oil production. It also impairs the skin’s barrier function and slows its recovery through changes in cortisol levels.

When you take a moment to relax, focus your attention on the heart and breathe intentionally, your heart rhythm becomes more coherent. This calmer physiological state influences communication between the heart and brain, helping the body move away from a prolonged stress response (“survival mode”) and towards a more present, healing journey.