Hello and welcome.
If you have chosen to listen to this track,
You might be waiting for some medical tests to be performed,
Or you might be waiting for the results of tests already done.
Either way,
That waiting can feel heavy and unsettling.
Your mind may be filled with all kinds of worst-case scenarios.
Your body may be tense,
And the uncertainty in your mind may become an endless loop of what-ifs.
Uncertainty is hard.
Waiting is hard.
But it doesn't mean anything is wrong with you.
It means you're human.
So what we are going to do together is to soften the fear around uncertainty together.
You don't need to stop worrying.
You don't need to pretend you're not anxious.
You don't need to push uncertainty away.
All you need to do is be here,
Now.
So find a position that feels comfortable.
Let your shoulders,
Arms and hands soften.
And if it feels okay,
Close your eyes,
Or simply lower your gaze a bit.
You don't need to have any answers right now.
All you need to do is be here.
Begin by noticing your breathing.
In.
And out.
In.
Let your body breathe in their own rhythm.
You don't need to change anything.
Just breathe.
Let your body breathe.
Let yourself be breathed.
Now sense the physical tension that waiting brings.
Maybe your shoulders have moved all the way up to your ears.
If so,
Try to release them just a little.
Maybe your hands are clenched into fists.
If so,
See if you can lessen the tension slightly.
Or maybe your face feels very tight.
If so,
See if you can release some of the tightness.
Now quietly acknowledge to yourself,
Waiting is stressful.
And my body is reacting to uncertainty.
And remember,
You are not reacting because danger is present,
But because the mind dislikes uncertainty and not knowing.
Let your attention return to your breathing.
And if thoughts pull you into imagined futures,
Label them.
Give them names like predictions,
Worries,
Or simply thinking.
Return to the breath again and again,
As often as it takes.
And with each exhale,
Invite the body to release,
Just a little,
Again and again.
Uncertainty isn't meant to be comfortable,
But it is survivable.
You can't hold worry without letting it take over.
You can't wait without panicking.
You can't feel fear and still be safe in this moment.
Your worth,
Your safety,
Your identity,
None of these hinge on the future results.
Right now,
You are here,
Breathing,
Alive,
Supported.
Now widen your attention somewhat.
Notice the room you're in,
The sounds you can hear,
The feeling of the ground or chair or bed beneath you.
Let your awareness become larger than the discomfort of waiting.
You are so much more than this moment of uncertainty.
This moment is only one part of your life,
And a small one at that.
Notice how your body feels now,
Maybe just a little softer,
Maybe just a little steadier,
Maybe simply more present,
Or maybe nothing much has changed.
All outcomes are welcome.
The important point is that you have given your mind and your nervous system a little breather.
You can return to this track any time the waiting feels overwhelming.
And if you want to go even deeper,
You're welcome to join my chorus,
Finding Peace With Uncertain Bodies,
Calming Health Anxiety.
In it,
You'll find a variety of mindfulness and nervous system tools to calm fear of illness and health anxiety.
Thank you for being here,
And remember,
You're not alone in this.
Finding Peace With Uncertain Bodies
