breathin

💨 Just Keep Breathin': Ariana Grande's Honest Guide to Riding Out Anxiety

Hey, friends! There are pop songs, and then there are survival guides disguised as pop songs. Ariana Grande’s "breathin" is absolutely the latter. It’s one of the most honest and beautifully raw portrayals of anxiety and overthinking you'll ever hear on the radio.

Ariana has spoken openly about writing this track while struggling with the aftermath of trauma, and the lyrics are incredibly validating for anyone who has ever felt their world spin out of control. Let's break down the mental health lessons hidden in this anthem. 🎧

The Reality of an Overwhelmed Mind 🤯

The song starts by painting a picture we know all too well when we're struggling:

"Time goes by and I can't control my mind / Don't know what else to try, but you tell me every time...""Feel my blood runnin', swear the sky's fallin' / How do I know if this sh*t's fabricated?"

This captures the core struggle of anxiety and overthinking. It's the moment your brain jumps into overdrive, telling you the sky is falling and every worry is a legitimate threat.

• The Loss of Control: Anxiety convinces us that our thoughts are facts and that we must control every possible outcome. The line "I can't control my mind" acknowledges the sheer exhaustion that comes from this mental battle.

• The Power of Doubt: The phrase "How do I know if this sh*t's fabricated?" is crucial. It’s the narrator questioning their own reality. This is a moment of resilience—even in panic, a part of her knows the catastrophe is likely fabricated by her fear, not real. That small spark of doubt is your first step toward hope.

The Ultimate Self-Care Boundary: Just Breathe 🌬️

The most simple, yet profound, message of the song is repeated in the chorus: "Just keep breathin' and breathin' and breathin' and breathin' / And oh, I gotta keep, keep on breathin'."

When life feels like a busy train station—disorienting, fast-paced, and full of strangers rushing by—the only reliable healthy boundary you can set is an internal one.

• Grounding in the Now: Breathing is the ultimate grounding exercise. It yanks you out of the frantic future (where anxiety lives) or the painful past (where trauma and depression linger) and anchors you in the present moment.

• Self-Acceptance in the Struggle: The repetition isn't just advice; it’s an acknowledgement that the task of simply breathing can be a monumental effort. There's no judgment in the lyrics, only persistence. This is the definition of self-acceptance—it's okay if today, your only goal is literally just to keep going.

Finding Your Air and Your Worth 💖

The song is ultimately about finding your "air" when you feel suffocated. It implies that while we may rely on a supportive voice ("you tell me every time..."), the action of breathing is ultimately your own.

You don't need external validation or perfection to justify your existence. Your self-worth is proven in the very act of surviving those waves of panic.

If today feels like a blur of worry and spinning rooms, try this: Stop for 60 seconds. Close your eyes. Don't try to fix the thoughts; just focus on the air coming in and out. That's not giving up; that's resilience in its purest form.

What is one simple, non-negotiable thing you can do for yourself this week to create a moment of "air" and pause? 🧘‍♀️