Hey there,
Friend.
My name is Anthony and welcome to this short practice on soothing and easing morning anxiety.
Some of the worst feelings I've ever experienced is waking up with a feeling of dread.
Whether it was from something going on in my life or just a feeling of hopelessness and worry,
Like I didn't want to face the day ahead because it feels like I'm falling short or not good enough.
And that's the thing about morning anxiety.
You wake up paralyzed,
Trapped in your bed,
Crawled up in a ball,
Feeling almost claustrophobic.
Your bed has become your coffin in a sense.
So I want to share with you a gentle practice that you can do whenever you're feeling morning anxiety,
When your mind is flooded with worries and fears about what's ahead.
Hopefully,
It can help transform your mornings from a time of anxiety into a sanctuary for self-compassion.
So wherever you are right now,
If you're still lying in bed,
Sit up if you can.
Just get into your body and feel your body in space.
Feel your feet for a second.
Feel your legs.
Sense your stomach.
And now put your attention on your heart.
See if you can feel it.
Begin to gently breathe in and out of this area of your heart.
Just focus on that rhythm.
Taking each breath in your own pace and time.
You are pumping fresh life from your lungs into your heart.
And you might repeat softly,
My heart is open.
My heart wants to let love in.
My heart wants to let love out.
It wants to be in this space always.
Rocking slowly to the rhythms of my very own life force.
Keep breathing into your heart.
You're doing great.
Now,
I just want you to hug yourself.
Give yourself an embrace.
Just for a second.
Hold yourself in your own arms.
And now,
Place each hand just below the opposite arm's shoulder.
And begin to gently rub the sides of your arms up and down.
Keep repeating that.
Really feel that motion.
Rubbing your arms up and down.
And notice the sense of calmness and relaxation.
The calmness that it creates.
You are rocking yourself back to safety.
Like a child.
Like that inner child who fills a big part of each and every one of us.
That just wants to be seen,
Heard,
And attended to.
Rock it back to safety.
Know that everything is okay.
Everything will be all right.
But that little child,
He or she,
Is valuable and special.
Give your inner child that love and acknowledgement.
As you keep rubbing the sides of your arms,
Rocking yourself back to safety.
There's this beautiful greeting used by the African Zulu tribe known as Saba Bona.
Which literally translates to,
I see you,
And by seeing you,
I bring you into being.
So as you stroke your arms,
Repeat those words.
I see you,
And by seeing you,
I bring you into being.
Acknowledge that you are making yourself seen by you.
You are seeing that inner child,
Which is still really you.
And you are bringing your true self into being.
Hold yourself with love in your consciousness.
From this space,
Know that you are safe.
You are whole,
And your life matters.
You can release rubbing your arms and give yourself a hug again.
I invite you to just be here with yourself now for a few moments.
You can even repeat this exercise as much as you need.
Just know that you can hug yourself and love yourself and rock yourself back to safety at any time.
Thanks for being here.
I hope you have a wonderful and beautiful day.
See you in the next one.
Take care of yourself.
Much love.
