Seated rib glide
Sit toward the front third of the chair. Feet flat, knees roughly over ankles. Place fingertips lightly on the lowest ribs at the sides. Inhale so the ribs expand laterally into your fingers; exhale and let the ribs soften inward without collapsing the chest forward. Repeat six cycles, moving slowly enough to feel the seam of your shirt shift. This invites the thorax to participate instead of freezing in a lifted brace.
Educational note (subjective): Some readers notice less habitual neck bracing when ribs move freely; others do not. This is coordination practice for interest only, not a prescribed exercise for a medical symptom.