Welcome to Gentle Awareness,
Easing Stress with Kindness.
I'm so glad you're here.
Perhaps you're feeling a little stretched,
A little weary,
Or maybe just ready to give yourself a soft place to land.
If that's true,
Know that you are in exactly the right place.
This month is Stress Awareness Month and I created this talk as a gentle companion.
A moment to help you breathe,
Soften,
And reconnect with the part of you that already knows how to rest and recover.
So stress can look different for all of us.
Sometimes it's obvious,
Racing thoughts,
Overwhelm,
Or trouble sleeping.
But often it's quiet,
A tiredness we can't shake,
A sense of pressure,
Or just feeling like we're holding on too much.
And here's the truth,
Stress isn't a flaw or a weakness.
It's your body's natural response to trying to keep you safe and functioning.
But when it builds up without release,
It begins to take from us our clarity,
Our calm,
Even our sense of self.
That's why in this session,
We'll take some simple steps to soften that stress.
Not by pushing it away,
But by meeting it with kindness.
So we'll explore three gentle practices,
Small,
Supportive tools that you can return to any time.
The first is the breath as a reset.
Right now,
I invite you to place a hand on your heart or your belly and just take a slow breath in.
Now,
Exhale gently and just make your exhale a little longer than your inhale.
Let's do that again.
Inhale.
Feel your heart and belly rise.
And exhale,
Letting something go.
You don't have to fix anything.
Now,
Once more,
Inhale.
And exhale gently,
Letting go.
And just take a moment to notice how even one mindful breath can shift something inside.
Just resume your natural breathing pattern now.
The next gentle practice is a safe visual place.
Just imagine a place that feels peaceful to you.
It could be real or imagined.
A quiet forest,
A cozy room,
Or a shoreline where the waves gently lap at your feet.
Just picture it now.
Notice all the details,
The sounds,
Colors,
Textures.
Just take a moment and let your body rest there,
If only for this moment.
This place does live inside you and you can return to it whenever you need.
Now,
A third practice is just a kind word to yourself.
Just offer yourself a kind word.
It could be something like,
I am allowed to slow down.
I am doing the best I can.
I am enough,
Even in this moment.
Or you could even say,
Peace begins with one breath.
Whatever comes to you,
Let those kind words rise from your heart and speak them to yourself like someone you truly care for because you are someone worth caring for.
Now,
We'll go into a little deeper visualization now,
Releasing stress and inviting light.
So,
Just gently close your eyes,
Make sure you are in your comfy space,
Warm and cozy,
And just let your hands rest comfortably.
Take one more soft breath and begin to imagine this.
You're walking along a forest path.
The morning air is cool and clean.
Everything is still,
Quiet,
And each step you take brings a sense of grounding and ease.
Sunlight filters through the trees.
Birdsong echoes around you and you feel your shoulders relaxing.
Soon,
You arrive at a clearing that is filled with golden sunlight.
It's warm,
Inviting,
Radiant.
You step into it and as you do,
This light begins to flow over you.
It's down your back,
Across your shoulders,
Over your heart.
It's showering down over your body.
And just let this beautiful,
Healing light melt away the tension you've been carrying.
Now,
Visualize it flowing into your body.
It's filling your feet,
Your legs,
Your hips,
Your belly.
Now,
See it moving into your beautiful heart,
Your chest,
Your shoulders,
Your hands,
Your throat,
Your face,
Your hair.
This light is warmth,
Safety,
Rest,
And every breath fills you with a softness you didn't know you needed.
Allow this feeling,
This light,
To stay.
Let it rise within you like a gentle sunrise.
Let yourself be held.
And just visualize yourself smiling.
Uplift the corners of your mouth and feel that smile spread throughout your body.
It's a small,
Peaceful smile that comes not from effort,
But from ease.
Your beautiful smile.
As we slowly return back to the present moment,
Back to your physical surroundings,
You can just gently roll your shoulders.
Just let your body stretch gently and know this.
You are allowed to carry this softness with you into your day.
You don't have to go back to rushing.
You can return to your breath,
Your peaceful place,
Your kind inner voice any time.
You are not your stress.
You are not your to-do list.
You are someone who deserves peace.
You are someone who deserves kindness.
You are someone who deserves your love.
So,
Thank you so much for being here today.
May your breath be easy,
May your heart feel light,
And may you remember peace begins within you.
Namaste,
My friend.
