I catch myself doing it several times a week: mouth open, breathing loud and shallow, as if my body has forgotten everything I’ve spent years teaching other people. The irony isn’t lost on me – I’m a certified Buteyko breathing trainer, and yet I have to catch myself mid-breath and correct course…

A man once told me, during one of my seminars, about a thought that used to make him laugh at himself. In his 20s, he loved going to concerts. Whenever he spotted people over 50 in the crowd, he’d think: What are these old codgers doing here? He’s over 50 now. The music still moves him…