This exercise has been designed to help you take back control of your mind.
Additionally,
It's going to move you out of the survival region of your brain and it's going to help calm your nervous system.
You can do this standing wherever you are.
I invite you now to bring awareness to your feet.
Feel the sensation of your feet on the earth.
And now,
Allow your body to sway a little bit back and forth.
Notice how the pressure points on your feet change as your body moves.
When your mind wanders off,
Just bring it right back to the sensation of your feet.
Now you can forget about your feet and on one free hand,
Bring together your thumb and your middle finger.
Rub those two fingers against each other with enough tension that you can feel the fingertip ridges.
When the mind wanders off,
Just bring it right back to that sensation on your fingers.
If it wandered off again,
Bring it right back again.
Now you can relax your hand and notice the sounds around you.
Search first for the furthest sound that you can hear.
And now search for the closest sound that you can hear.
If you haven't noticed the sound of your breathing yet,
Notice the sound of your breathing.
Now shift your awareness to the sensation of your breathing on your nostrils as you inhale and as you exhale.
And now bring your awareness to the rise and fall of the belly with each breath.
Now I invite you to take one deep belly breath in with me.
Breathing in through the nose and filling up your lower belly as much as you possibly can.
When you get there,
Hold it for a moment and then let it all go.
Now take a brief moment of gratitude for yourself,
For showing up today,
For doing this work to shift the course of the rest of your day.
And know that you can come back to these exercises whenever you like.
