Welcome.
My name is Abbe.
Today we're going to do a mindful check-in practice to get in touch with how we are doing in this moment.
We will check in with our breath,
Our body,
Our thoughts,
And the space around us.
Checking in and noticing how we are doing is a practice that can become a positive habit in our lives.
When we get better at noticing when we aren't feeling our best,
We have more opportunities to support ourselves by checking in with what we need in the moment.
When you check in with yourself and you notice how you're doing,
You can choose what you need to support your wellbeing.
You can check in with your energy level,
Or what your mind is working on,
Or how your body feels,
Or how it feels being in the space you're in.
When you have the awareness of how you are doing,
You can ask yourself,
What do you need in this moment?
And then give it to yourself.
When you give yourself what you need,
You are practicing self-care.
Self-care is any activity that we do with awareness and intention to take care of our mental,
Emotional,
And physical health.
It's helpful to develop a habit of caring for yourself daily.
A mindful check-in is one way to practice self-care.
Every time you sit down and practice mindfulness,
You are building that self-care muscle.
The stronger that muscle gets,
The more likely you will remember to use it when you're faced with a challenge.
Just like when you lift weights,
You have to do it repeatedly until you start to see a change.
The same goes for these practices.
Regular exercise of an activity or skill,
Including mindfulness practices,
Is the way to become proficient in it.
The more we practice,
The more these practices become a way of life.
We become more connected to ourselves and can navigate the challenges we face with more gentleness and more curiosity.
So let's begin this mindful check-in practice.
You can sit up tall with your eyes closed or looking down so your attention is on you.
Bring your attention to your breath.
Are you breathing through your nose or your mouth?
Is your breathing fast or slow?
Does your breath feel smooth or jagged?
Does your breath travel into your belly or stay in your chest?
Lift your attention to your body.
How does your body feel?
Are there parts of your body that feel tense?
Parts that feel relaxed?
Can you feel the parts of your body connected to a source of support?
A chair,
The floor,
A bed?
Can you feel the parts of your body connected to the air around you?
Shift your attention to your thoughts.
Do you notice many thoughts or a few thoughts?
Do you notice if your thoughts are more about past events or future planning?
Are your thoughts more pleasant or unpleasant?
Last,
Shift your attention to the space you are in.
How does it feel being in the space?
What is the temperature like?
Do you notice feeling warm or cool?
What do you hear in this space?
Scan the environment for sounds you can hear far away,
In the room you are in,
And even in your body.
Take a few breaths in and out.
Notice how this practice felt for you.
How does your body feel?
Do you notice feeling calm,
Centered,
Focused,
Energized,
Something else?
Is there anything you need in this moment?
This is a practice that you can break up into smaller parts during the day.
You can pause and listen to the sounds around you.
Notice how the sounds are impacting how you feel.
You can check in with your breath.
See what your breath has to tell you and if maybe you want to change how you're breathing.
You can check in with your body and how your body is doing.
Maybe it needs a little bit of movement or a little bit of stillness.
You can check in with your thoughts.
What is your mind working on right now?
So think about when during your day a mindful check-in would support you.
Thank you so much for practicing with me.
