Good evening,
My name is Olivia and tonight we are going to think about what we are thankful for before we go to bed.
Did you know that having a gratitude practice or a time where we think about what we're thankful for can make us happier,
Can make us healthier,
Can help us sleep better,
And can even invite more of the things we love into our life?
So it's a beautiful practice to pause each night before we go to sleep and to think about what we were thankful for from our day.
Let's begin.
Before we start our gratitude practice,
Let's get comfortable in our bodies.
I suggest that you lie down in your bed and make sure that you're extra comfy.
So get your wiggles out,
Maybe you need to wiggle your toes and your fingers and your shoulders.
Wherever your body needs to move,
Just listen for a second and honor your body by moving by wiggling.
And then settle into your spot in bed.
So check that your head is cozy on your pillow,
That you have the right blankets that you need just in case you fall asleep when we're done.
Allow your body to get heavy in your bed.
Feel your feet getting heavy,
Your legs,
The middle of your body,
All the way up to your shoulders,
Your arms,
Your hands,
Your fingers,
Your neck,
And your head,
All just sinking into the comfort of your bed.
And as you get cozy,
Let's also check in on your breath.
So just noticing,
How are you breathing?
Are you breathing fast?
Are you breathing slow?
However you're breathing is just fine,
But we're going to take a moment to slow our breath down.
So breathe in with me for four,
And breathe out with me for four.
Let's try it.
In.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Out.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
In.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Out.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
In.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Out.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Nicely done.
You can stop counting your breaths now,
But just let them be long.
Maybe let your out breath be audible.
That means make it so that we can hear it for a moment.
So breathe in,
And out.
You can make funny sounds if you want.
I think it sounds like the ocean,
Or like a tiger,
Or a dragon.
These loud breaths can really help us breathe out any of the energy from our day that was hard.
Maybe we had some moments where we felt a little anxious or worried,
Or maybe we had some moments where we felt frustrated.
Whatever feelings you had today that were hard,
You can breathe them out now with that loud breath.
So you breathe in,
And you breathe out.
I'll let you play with that breath for a moment on your own.
So you can try it breathing in,
And then out,
And making whatever sound your body needs to make to release your feelings from today.
Nicely done.
Just remember,
You can play with your breath like that any time that you need to.
It can really help when you're feeling worried,
Or when you're feeling overwhelmed,
Or mad.
Any of our big feelings,
Breathing can help.
Alright,
Bringing our awareness back to our bodies.
Just noticing if we feel a little bit more relaxed after all our breathing.
Noticing the weight of your body again in bed.
Knowing that you are held,
And that you are safe in this space where you sleep.
Now let's turn our awareness to the parts of our day that made us thankful.
So we can think of small moments,
Or big moments.
But let's begin with our morning.
So this morning you woke up,
And you stretched,
And you opened your eyes to a brand new day.
Did you feel grateful to be alive?
It's okay if you didn't stop to notice,
But maybe tomorrow when you wake up,
You'll do a big stretch and look around and put a smile on your face.
Because here you are,
In a human body,
Having a grand adventure as a child.
So think about your morning today.
Was there anything that made you feel thankful?
Maybe you ate a special food for breakfast.
Or maybe you're just thankful to have food at all for breakfast.
Maybe you're grateful for that glass of water that you drink.
For the laughter that you shared with your family or friends.
What can you feel thankful for from your morning?
Think about it now,
And feel that thankful feeling in your heart.
Now let's move to the middle of your day.
If it helps,
You can think of lunchtime,
Or maybe recess,
If you were at a school.
What happened in the middle of the day that you can feel thankful for?
Maybe you got to play outside in the sunshine or the rain or the snow,
Depending on where you live and what time of year it is.
Is there something you can think of that you feel thankful for from the middle of your day?
Really feel what it feels like to be thankful for that thing or those things.
Maybe a smile crosses your face,
And you feel that gratitude in your heart.
Now let's think of the late afternoon before dinner.
What happened then?
Was there something that made you smile,
Or brought you a feeling of gratitude?
Even on our hardest days,
We can find something to be thankful for.
Maybe you got to watch a television show that you like,
Or you got some time to play or read a book,
Or maybe you attended a class like dance or played a sport,
Or maybe you spent some time with a person in your life who takes care of you.
Even something as simply seeing a bird fly by your window could bring you in a feeling of being thankful to be alive.
Now bring your awareness to dinner time tonight.
Was there a favorite food you got to eat?
Or maybe you feel thankful for the person who made your food,
Or the farmers who grew the food that you ate,
Or for the time you spent with someone you love,
Laughing and talking about your day.
Find one thing to be thankful for from dinner time,
And feel that gratitude in your heart.
Now look back at your whole day,
From when you woke up,
To your morning,
Your afternoon,
Your evening,
And now this time in bed.
What are you most grateful for from today?
Maybe it's a person,
Or a pet,
Or some little act of kindness that you witnessed in the world around you.
Think of that one thing or person or animal,
And put that thankful feeling in your heart,
Allowing your heart to feel full from all the little moments of gratitude today that helped make your day better.
Because even on our hardest days,
There is something to be grateful for.
We know how to find what we feel thankful for,
And we know how to hold it in our hearts.
We feel happier,
We feel calmer,
And we invite more of that special feeling of thankfulness into our lives.
Allow yourself to think about what makes you feel grateful as you drift off to sleep tonight.
Good night,
Sweet one.
Namaste.
