Hi,
Welcome.
My name is Julie and I'll be taking you through a relaxation exercise in just a moment.
Today's exercise is something a little bit different.
Taking our inspiration from positive psychology,
We'll do a relaxation exercise with affirmations to help us with self-acceptance and confidence.
These are very strange times all over the world and I can imagine many of you could use a bit of a boost.
The relaxation will begin with an exercise to relax the body with the breath and then a guided meditation with positive thoughts.
You can do this relaxation both lying and sitting down and today's exercise will take around 20 minutes.
Okay,
First and foremost find a comfortable position and once you're comfortable,
Notice how you're feeling right now,
Physically and mentally.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and release the breath through your mouth.
Take another breath and let your breathing relax as you breathe out again.
Breathe in gently and as you exhale,
Let the air release the tension from your body.
Take it easy,
Just breathe.
Now carefully bring your attention to your body.
Notice where your body is tense.
Now take a slow breath in and as you breathe out,
Feel that part of your body become a little bit more relaxed.
Let it be heavy and sink into the surface beneath you.
Breathe in,
Breathe out and let it relax a little more.
Then take a look at how that relaxation feels exactly.
Does it tingle?
Does it feel soft,
Calm,
Loose?
And let that feeling of relaxation grow.
Scan your body from head to toe for spots that feel tense and for each one,
Let the relaxation soften the muscles.
Breathe in and soothe yourself as you breathe out.
Let the feeling of relaxation grow.
Let the calmness spread throughout your body.
Breathe in relaxation and breathe out your tension.
Breathe in calmness and release all the tension as you breathe out.
Breathe in slowly and ever so slowly deepen your state of relaxation more and more.
With every breath,
Deeper and deeper,
More and more relaxed,
Calm and peaceful.
Now start making a picture in your head.
Begin to create a picture in your mind of a place where you can completely relax.
You can pick any place,
Real or imaginary,
The choice is yours.
Start with the layout of the place you are imagining.
Where is this beautiful place?
You might envision somewhere outdoors or indoors.
It could be a small space or a large one.
Make a detailed picture of your surroundings,
What you can see,
Colors,
Shapes,
Objects,
Plants,
All of the beautiful things that make your place enjoyable.
Any tastes or smells this space has to offer.
Imagine the sensations of touch,
Including the temperature,
Any breeze that may be present,
The surface you are on.
Imagine the details of this calming place in your mind.
And as you rest in your safe space,
Keep in mind that all of the following positive statements are true for you right now and enjoy this relaxation.
Repeat every affirmation in your head with confidence.
Use your imagination to fully believe every affirmation if you have to.
The affirmations begin now.
I am at peace with myself.
I appreciate who I am.
I value myself as a person.
All people have value and I am a valuable person.
I deserve to relax.
I deserve to be happy.
I embrace my happy feelings and enjoy being content.
I believe that all affirmations are true for me now,
Here in this moment,
And I enjoy the feelings of relaxation I experience.
When I am a bit down,
I accept my emotions and I acknowledge that my bad mood will pass and I'll be happy again.
I look forward to the good times.
My future is bright.
I feel good about who I am today.
I accept the person that I am.
I accept my defects and I accept my strengths.
I believe that all affirmations are true for me now,
Here in this moment,
And I enjoy the feelings of relaxation I experience.
I look forward to the future and I enjoy the present.
I look back on memories from my past with love.
I forgive myself for my mistakes.
I believe that all affirmations are true for me now,
Here in this moment,
And I enjoy the feelings of relaxation I experience.
I take on challenges with strength.
I do the best I can at any time.
My best is good enough.
I don't have to be perfect to be okay as a person.
I believe that all affirmations are true for me now,
Here in this moment,
And I enjoy the feelings of relaxation I experience.
I accept myself.
I take care of myself.
I take time for myself and I enjoy this time.
I deserve time to myself.
I allow myself to express and experience emotions,
Negative and positive.
I accept myself.
I accept myself.
I am a valuable person.
I accept myself.
I accept myself.
I feel confident.
I feel secure.
I accept myself.
I accept myself.
I accept myself.
Now slowly,
In your own time,
Think back to your safe space.
Imagine that you are at ease in this environment and recognize the feelings that you have after repeating the affirmations.
Accept all feelings that you have,
Positive and negative.
Make space for your feelings and allow yourself to feel calm and peaceful.
Now it's almost time to leave your safe place.
Know that you can always return here at any time to relax,
To feel calm,
To be at ease and safe.
Take with you the feelings of acceptance.
In a moment,
I will count to three.
If you are practicing this rather late at night,
Let your body adjust for sleep and drift off.
If you would like to wake up completely and continue your day,
You can increase your alertness and become more energetic at the number three.
One,
Take a deep,
Long breath in and breathe out slowly.
Two,
Take a deep breath in and breathe out.
Three,
You feel calm,
Confident and refreshed.
Voila,
That was it for this week.
I hope you enjoyed the exercise and hopefully until next time.
