Welcome.
My name is Wout and I'll be your guide today.
This is your moment to transition out of the workday.
To put down what you've been carrying and just make a little space for the rest of your life.
Perhaps you've just finished a busy day,
Your laptop is closed,
Your meetings are over,
Or you finally stopped responding to messages.
But your mind might still be at work,
Replaying a conversation,
Thinking about something you didn't finish,
Planning tomorrow or still feeling the urgency of everything that needs your attention.
So before you move into the next part of your day,
Let's take a few moments to arrive.
Not just physically,
But with your whole self.
Find somewhere comfortable to sit,
Somewhere you won't need to do anything else for the next few minutes.
And if it feels comfortable,
Close your eyes.
Or let your gaze soften.
Become aware of the surface beneath you and feel the contact of your feet with the ground.
The weight of your body.
And just notice your breathing.
You don't need to breathe in any special way.
Just simply allow the breath to move naturally.
And now notice how your body feels after today.
Perhaps your shoulders are tight,
Your jaw is clenched,
Your belly feels contracted or there's a certain restlessness inside.
Without trying to change anything just yet.
See if you can just acknowledge how much your body and mind have been doing.
All the little things,
The decisions,
The conversations,
The interruptions and the responsibilities.
Perhaps you can silently say to yourself,
That was my work day,
I did what I could and for now,
I'm allowed to stop.
Now imagine placing your workday in front of you.
Almost as though you were gathering everything from today into one container.
The things that went well,
The things that were difficult,
The unfinished tasks,
The unanswered message,
Even the worries about tomorrow.
See if you can put them all into a container one by one.
And you don't need to throw anything away.
Everything that truly needs your attention can be there when you return.
But for now,
Imagine gently closing the container.
And setting in this side Notice what happens in your body as you do that.
Perhaps a little more space opens up.
Or perhaps you're still holding on.
That's okay.
You don't need to force anything.
Gently bring your awareness to your face.
Notice.
Wow.
Now notice your shoulders.
If there's any tension,
See whether you can release even a small amount.
And then notice your chest.
Your belly.
And your hands.
And allow yourself one slow,
Comfortable exhale as though you're letting the day begin to settle.
You might notice there is still something moving inside you.
Some frustration,
Disappointment,
Maybe tiredness or excitement of the day.
Whatever it is,
You don't need to suppress it in order to be present.
You can just acknowledge it and make some room for it.
Allow yourself to arrive just as you are.
And then gently bring your mind to the next part of your day.
Perhaps you're going to spend time with your partner.
Your child,
Or your children,
Your family.
You're friends.
Or perhaps just a quiet evening to yourself.
Or a moment,
Remember that these moments matter too.
Not because you need to make them extraordinary,
But because this is also your life.
Sometimes we give so much of our attention to our responsibilities that the people closest to us receive whatever is left over.
Our tiredness,
Our distraction,
Our impatience,
Our frustrations and often this happens without us even realizing it.
But right now,
You have an opportunity to choose how you'd like to arrive.
How you'd like to.
.
.
Show up.
So,
Let me offer you a question.
How would I like the people I love to experience me this evening?
Perhaps warm,
Interested,
Curious,
Patient,
Grounded,
Centered.
Playful.
Available or simply willing to listen.
There's no need to be or become a perfect partner,
A perfect parent or a perfectly calm human being.
That's not what this is about.
It's simply about being a little more here,
A little more available and a little more connected.
To what matters.
Now.
Imagine one ordinary moment that's coming up.
Perhaps opening your front door.
Seeing your child.
Greeting your partner.
Preparing for dinner.
Or sitting down to enjoy your evening.
Now just imagine arriving in that moment with a little more presence.
Perhaps you put your phone away.
You make eye contact.
You offer a hug and you ask how their day was.
Genuinely listening.
Or simply taking a moment to enjoy being there.
You don't need to change your entire evening,
Just one small moment of genuine connection.
Now gently return your attention to your body.
The inside of your body,
The sensations that you can feel.
The chair beneath you.
The.
.
.
Notice the sounds around you.
Space green.
Allow yourself to just be here.
Now before we finish,
Perhaps silently offer yourself these words.
My workday is complete for now.
I have done enough.
I can return to what's unfinished when it's time.
Right now,
I choose to be here.
And whenever you're ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Take your time,
And as you move into the rest of your day,
Remember,
You don't have to bring anything with you.
You can leave some of it behind.
Just arrive home in yourself,
In your own presence.
Thank you for practicing with me and I wish you a peaceful and connected rest of your day.
