Hi,
And welcome.
Maybe you clicked on this because your brain has been doing that thing.
Where it opens up 40 different tabs and then refuses to close any of them.
Good.
That means you're in the right place right now.
You don't need to have anything figured out before we get started.
You just need to be here,
However scattered here looks like for you today.
Let's begin by finding a position that feels comfortable enough for you right now.
Let your eyes close,
Or soften your gaze downward if closing your eyes feels like too much right now.
Either is fine.
There's no wrong way to do this,
Despite what your inner overachiever might be whispering to you.
Let's take a breath in.
.
.
And let it out slowly.
One more breath in.
.
.
And let it out slowly One more in through the nose if that's available to you.
And out through your mouth.
Like you're fogging up a mirror.
Notice your body as it's sitting or lying somewhere.
Feel the points of contact.
Where your body meets the chair,
The floor,
The bed.
Wherever you are.
You don't have to relax just yet.
Just notice.
Noticing is your whole job right now.
Now,
Chances are,
Within about eight seconds of closing your eyes,
Your brain started talking.
Maybe it's reminding you of an email.
Maybe it's replaying something you said in 2019.
Maybe it's already planning what to make for dinner,
While also worrying that you're doing this meditation wrong.
That's not a malfunction.
That's just what an overthinking brain does when you finally give it a quiet room.
It's not used to the quiet,
So it wants to fill it.
You are not broken for having a busy mind.
You have a very committed mind.
It's been working overtime trying to keep you safe,
Prepared,
And 10 steps ahead.
Today,
We're not going to fight it.
We're going to thank it.
Weird.
I know.
Stay with me.
Next time a thought shows up.
And it will.
Probably before I finish the sentence.
Try this.
Instead of,
I'm going to be behind on everything.
Try noticing I'm having the thought that I'm going to be behind on everything.
Do you feel that?
It's a small shift,
But it can make a big difference.
You are not the thought.
You are the one noticing the thoughts.
You are the sky,
The thought is just the clouds that are passing through.
If it helps.
Even give the thought a little bit of a nod.
Thanks,
Brain.
Noted.
You can go sit down now.
Your mind isn't the enemy here.
It's more like an overly enthusiastic assistant who just keeps handing you.
Email or text or memo after memo that you never even asked for.
You don't have to fire it.
You just don't have to read every single thing out loud immediately.
If a thought is loud and won't quiet down,
That's okay too.
Let it be loud.
You don't need silence to be okay.
You just need a little space between you and that thought or that noise.
Let's come back to the body for a second.
Notice any sound in the room.
Even the sounds that exist underneath the sounds.
Notice the temperature of the air on your skin.
Notice your breath without trying to change it.
Just watch it move in and out.
Like it's been doing this whole time without needing your supervision.
Before we close,
Ask yourself gently,
Not your to-do list,
Not your inbox.
But ask yourself,
What matters to you today?
Not what you should do.
What matters.
You don't need the answer right now.
Just let the question exist for a second,
The way you're letting everything else just exist right now.
When you're ready,
Start to wiggle your fingers,
Your toes,
Or whatever parts of your body want to move right now.
Let's take one more breath.
When you open your eyes.
Know this.
Your mind is going to keep talking.
And that's fine.
You just got a little bit of practice creating some space,
Slowing down.
And offering pockets of quiet.
You did it.
Even if your brain narrated this entire experience.
You did it especially if your brain narrated this entire experience.
Thanks for spending time with me.
I'll see you next time your brain opens up too many tabs.
Which,
Let's be honest,
Might be in about 11 minutes from now.
Take great care of yourself.
