Creating Happiness Through Changing Your Thinking

This 22-minute meditation takes you on a special train journey of change. It's designed to help you relax and reset your thinking about reducing your anxiety and worries and getting into a more positive mindset about yourself and the direction you want to take. Listen to it in a peaceful environment where you can take time out to reset your thinking and enjoy this train journey of personal transformation.

Transcript

Welcome. Make sure you've got somewhere nice and comfortable to lay down and relax as we start our meditation together. As you lie yourself back just settle down and begin to relax and make yourself nice and comfortable. Notice the weight of your head resting on the pillow and be aware of your head relaxing on that pillow knowing that it will fully support the weight of your head. You don't have to hold any stress or tension in your shoulders or your neck, You can just let your head rest back nice and relaxed and let go. And you can relax your shoulders too because you know that the couch will fully support you, It can take your full weight, Your full height, Every muscle, Every fibre of your being as you just relax back into the couch fully supported. Because now is the time for you to do nothing. You don't have to be anywhere, You don't have to do anything, You can just lie back and relax and your mind can drift and dream as you hear all the sounds around you, The sounds in the room, The sounds outside, None of these things need to distract or disturb you, They just comfortably remind you that the world is still safely turning and you can allow yourself a moment to just rest back, Relax and let go. You can let go of any tension in your stomach or across your shoulders, Easing off the muscles in your back and down your spine and along the muscles in your legs, Down through your ankles all the way to your feet, Your toes, Even your arms, Every finger loosening and relaxing perfectly at ease. Drifting and dreaming with your thoughts as you pay attention to your breathing, The gentle rise and fall that happens all by itself and with every breath you take and every word that I speak, You can just let go. And now as you allow your body and mind to settle into this growing sense of calm, I want you to imagine yourself standing on a quiet platform in a peaceful, Almost dreamlike railroad station. The air is calm and the light is soft and you feel safe and grounded and comfortable here. And a train waits just ahead of you with a smooth welcoming carriage, Just as though it had been prepared especially for you. And you step aboard and as you do so, The door closes with a gentle click behind you, Sealing you into a private space of comfort and possibility. You choose a seat by a wide window and the seat seems to shape itself around you, Supporting you perfectly. The train begins to move, Very slowly at first, Then settles into a steady, Soothing rhythm. Click, Clack, Click, Clack, The sound of the rails beneath the train, Each sound taking you deeper and deeper into ease. And as the scenery drifts by outside the window, Your mind may notice how the movement of the passing mile represents something that you're ready to release. And ahead, You see a small station in the distance and as the train glides through that station without stopping, Moving slowly, You sense that this station holds old patterns, Old tensions and old habits that once belonged to you but now no longer serve you. And the train simply moves past, Smoothly, Confidently and without effort. You don't have to push anything away because the train does all the work for you, Carrying you further and further away from anything unnecessary and closer to the version of yourself you're becoming. As the journey continues, The scenery becomes more beautiful, More open and something inside you begins to open too. You might notice a warm feeling in the chest, A quiet sense of knowing or a memory of some capability or strength resurfacing because the train is guiding you through a landscape of your own inner resources, Confidence, Calm, Clarity, Intention, Even those strengths that you haven't used for a very long time. And the rhythm of the train helps you to settle deeper and deeper into them, With each gentle movement and each steady breath. And soon the train begins to slow, Just slightly, Not stopping yet, Only settling into a quieter rhythm, As though approaching a very special part of the journey. And you notice a station ahead, Bathed in warm, Inviting light. This station represents change, A place where your mind becomes open and receptive to new behaviours, New choices, New possibilities. And even before the train arrives you can feel something shifting, A readiness, A willingness and an inner alignment with your goals. And when the train gently slows to a comfortable crawl, You sense that you're entering a space where the subconscious listens more clearly than ever before. And now as the train glides into this tranquil, Transformative station, You remain comfortably seated, Deeply relaxed and fully open to the positive, Healthy suggestions that support your wellbeing. The doors do not need to open, Because all of the change is happening within you. For this is the moment where new pathways can form, A moment where old patterns soften, And a moment where your deeper mind becomes receptive to the changes you want to make. You are in the perfect state now, Safe, Relaxed and ready for the suggestions that come next. Suggestions that align with your goals, Your values and your best possible futures. And as the train glides gently into this quiet, Transformative station, You remain comfortably seated, Your body relaxed, Your mind open and your awareness settled into a soft, Receptive place. The rhythm of the journey continues inside you, A gentle sense of movement, Even as the train slows to a peaceful stillness. And you notice that this station feels different from any other you've known. Lighter, Clearer, A place of choice and calm intention. It's a station where old routines can be gently set down, And new, Healthier patterns can begin to take shape. A station where the evenings and the days feel peaceful, Simple and easy to navigate, In a way that supports your wellbeing. And as you sit comfortably in this warm, Quiet space, You can feel your mind naturally preparing itself, Opening to ideas and possibilities that make your evenings and days more satisfying, Smoother and free from habits you no longer need. You don't have to do anything at all. This is simply the point in the journey where your deeper mind becomes ready. Ready to receive new understandings, New choices and new responses that fit the person you're becoming. So now as you breathe gently and rest here in this calm station of change, You may notice a quiet readiness building within you, A sense that the suggestions to come will settle comfortably, Naturally and effectively. Because this is the perfect place and the perfect moment for new patterns to begin forming, Patterns that bring you a sense of control, Ease and alignment with your goals. And in this receptive space, Your mind is now fully prepared to hear and accept the helpful suggestions that follow, Suggestions that support healthy, Empowered choices in your evenings and days ahead as you would wish. And in this receptive space, Your mind is now fully prepared to hear and accept the helpful suggestions that follow, Suggestions that support healthy, Empowered choices in your evenings and days ahead as you would wish. So starting now, More and more, You will realise that happiness and unhappiness are due to your own thoughts and the way you think about situations. You will be able to shift your thoughts about the way you think about situations and you'll be able to shift your thoughts to the positive aspects and look at the positive aspects of living and enjoying every day. You will become more and more aware that if life situations are not the way you always want them, You will work to change them, Without frustration, Without anger and without being bothered. You will work to change things that are not the way you want them, But you will do it with a calm, Peaceful mind, Being at ease and being at peace with the universe. You will become more and more aware that everyone has problems in living, But you'll also be aware that as you become more mature and experienced, That you can face problems with a calm mind, With strength and determination, To work to improve them. When you cannot change things, You will accept them calmly and you will be aware that anger and frustration do not help. You will become more and more aware that everyone has problems in living, But you'll also be aware that as you become more mature and experienced, That you can face problems with a calm mind, With strength and determination, To work to improve them. When you cannot change things, You will accept them calmly and you will be aware that anger and frustration do not help. And you'll realise that life is too precious and too wonderful to waste it, Being bothered over little things and little annoyances. And while you think about that, I want to share a short story with you. The story is called The Cracked Pot. Once upon a time there was a person, And this person was a water carrier. She carried two pots, To be exact, On her shoulders, On a pole. One of the pots had a crack in it and the other was perfect. Every day the water carrier would make a long walk from the stream to her house in the village. By the time she reached her house, The cracked pot was half empty, While the perfect pot was still full to the brim. For many months this same story continued and every journey the water carrier would make, She would deliver a pot and a half of water. Naturally, The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, Fulfilling perfectly the function for which it had been made. But the cracked pot was deeply ashamed of its imperfection, And felt its own failure deeply, Achieving only half of what it had been made to do. Eventually the cracked pot could contain its shame no longer, And one day by the stream it spoke to the water carrier. I am so sorry and ashamed. I wanted to apologize to you for so long. You see, I'm only able to deliver half of my load to the house because of this crack in my side. And because of this imperfection, Much water leaks out and is wasted along the way. I feel very bad because you work so hard and you don't get full reward for all your efforts. But the water carrier just smiled and gently said, Have you not noticed how beautiful the flowers grow in abundance on your side of the path, While on the other side there are none? You see, I've always known about your flaw, So I sowed seeds along your side of the path many months ago, And every day as we walk back together from the stream, You have watered them. And for all these months I've been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate our house and to brighten our lives. Without you being just the way you are, There would be no beauty in our world. Without your contribution, The world would be a far poorer place. Starting today, You will work to change anything that is changeable, That you can change, With peace of mind, Without being bothered, Without frustration and without anger. You will be less and less worried about the future, Problems of the future, Dangers of the future, Which may never occur anyway. Most of the things you'll worry about will not happen anyway. You'll let the worries go, And you'll enjoy your day. You'll let yourself go, You will enjoy yourself, As worries drop out of your life. In a moment, I'm going to help you return to full awareness. I want you to take your time and follow the pace that feels comfortable for you. Begin by taking a slow, Steady breath, And as you exhale, Allow your attention to come back towards the present moment. Now I will count from one to five. With each number, You'll become gradually more alert, More aware of your surroundings and more connected to your body. One, Noticing your breathing becoming a little deeper. Two, Becoming aware of the surface that supports you. Three, Gently bringing movement back towards your hands and your feet. Four, Becoming steady and clear, Fully aware. And five, When you're ready, Just allow your eyes to open, Returning fully to the room, Feeling calm. Grounded and present. Thank you for listening.