Fredrik Fernando Austad's route into breathwork didn't begin in a wellness studio. It began in fashion and communication, the industries he trained in and worked within through his twenties. "In my mid-twenties I went through a life-changing experience that completely shifted my perspective," he says. That shift is what first led him toward meditation and breathwork, practices he approached at the time, in his words, "from a more spiritual and self-development perspective." A few years later, co-organizing a holistic festival gave him his first real encounter with breathwork as a discipline of its own. Curious about weaving it into the meditation coaching he was already doing, he went on to complete a professional training. "Over time, it gradually became the biggest part of what I do, and perhaps one of the most rewarding journeys I've been on." What still strikes him is how something so fundamental is something that’s not tought to us in school. "It's such a simple tool, yet it has the ability to improve so many aspects of life."
Small habits, lasting change with Fredrik Fernando Austad
For Fredrik Fernando Austad, wellbeing isn't about grand gestures or rigid routines. It's found in the small moments woven into everyday life: a few conscious breaths between meetings, a walk through the city, movement after a long day, or simply taking a moment to notice how the body feels. We have a talk with the Oslo-based breathwork therapist and meditation teacher about finding calm in everyday life, and get a handful of simple tips for easing back into routine.
“Our breath is incredibly accessible, yet it has such a profound influence on both our physical and mental health."
Years of guiding clients, corporate sessions and workshops have taught him as much about limits as about possibility. "Unhealthy patterns can be replaced by healthier ones," he says, describing the body's own capacity to regulate and heal. But breathwork, he's careful to note, doesn't work in isolation. "It works best alongside movement, meaningful relationships, a sense of purpose, moments of mastery, and genuine joy. Together, these things build resilience."
Fredriks tips for a one-minute reset
Have one minute between meetings? Stand up, roll your shoulders, take one long inhale through your nose and let it travel down through your body and into your feet. Then release it with an audible sigh. Repeat for 60 seconds.
Or try the physiological sigh: take a deep inhale into the belly, followed by a shorter sip of air into the chest, then a long exhale through the mouth. “It’s a simple way to shift your attention away from the mind’s constant activity and back into the body.”
“Your body is the vessel that will carry you through life. Take care of it, and it will take care of you."
Much of Fredrik's work now centers on making these tools usable within an ordinary, busy week - between meetings, deadlines, and the pull of a phone. A great reset he recommends to anyone who works at a desk takes under three minutes: lean forward, elbows on knees, face resting gently in your hands, shoulders and jaw soft. Breathe in slowly through the nose, letting the belly expand, then purse the lips and exhale as though blowing gently through a straw. "This forward-leaning position naturally limits chest breathing and encourages the diaphragm to take over. Within minutes, most people notice their bodies soften and their minds grow steadier."
Fredrik has learned to recognize when he needs to slow down. A bad night's sleep, a stretch of long workdays, a racing mind or impatience over small things are all signs that he's pushed himself too far. Movement is an important part of finding his way back, whether it's dancing around the living room, cycling, running or strength training. "Our bodies were made to move, and I genuinely believe we're happier when we do," he says.
That same awareness extends to how he sits and the space around him. Variable™ Plus has found a place at his desk, supporting the open, upright posture he associates with easier breathing. Before starting work, Fredrik always tidies his desk. "Otherwise, the clutter isn't just in the room. It starts to feel like it's in my mind as well." For him, feeling at home is as much about the space around him as it is about finding a sense of calm within himself.
“Our bodies were made to move, and I genuinely believe we're happier when we do.”
That attention to physical surroundings runs through everything else in his life. Fredrik has always been drawn to beauty: art, music, literature, architecture, "things that are beautifully made", and he treats his workspace with the same care he brings to his breath. Books, art, ceramics and sculpture, much of it made by artist friends or gathered on his travels, fill the room he works from, each piece tied to a memory.
Heading into autumn, his advice stays small. Don't try to change everything at once, he says. Meditate for one minute. Check in with your breath a few times a day. Take an evening walk. "Small habits may seem insignificant on their own, but over time they're what create lasting change. Your health is something you'll carry with you for the rest of your life. It's one of the few investments that will always be worth making."