Settle into a comfortable position,
Whatever that looks like for you now.
Let your body choose ease and comfort over good posture.
Close your eyes if that feels okay or soften your gaze.
Take one slow inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth with a sigh.
Again,
Breathing in without effort.
As you breathe out,
Giving yourself permission to let go.
This is a safe space.
Feelings of burnout and exhaustion can come from keeping ourselves running for too long.
There's no reason for us to focus on the reasons why we're here,
But just to focus on moving ourselves away from it.
On downshifting,
Regulating our minds and bodies,
On letting ourselves know that we're safe and it's okay to slow down.
So,
At least for the next few minutes,
You don't need to hold anything together.
You don't need to process anything,
To improve,
To keep on moving.
Your only focus is to let your system rest,
Even just a little.
Bring your attention to the back of your body,
The places that are supported,
The chair,
The floor,
The bed beneath you.
Let yourself be held here,
Noticing what it feels like when you don't need to do the holding,
When you can trust in the surface beneath you.
It's okay if this feels a little bit scary,
Or if you're not ready to fully let go.
The surface will be there waiting to catch you whenever you're ready.
But maybe,
Can you lean into it just 1% more?
To notice that shift when you start to release that hold,
By the smallest amount.
Turning your attention to your breathing,
Those inhales and exhales that are always with you.
Each breath arriving like reassurance,
Each exhale an opportunity to let go,
To trust.
Knowing that the next breath will always return.
Now,
Let's start to extend our exhales.
Breathing in naturally,
Allowing that out-breath to be just a little bit longer than your in-breath.
Not forcing anything,
Simply slowing the release.
You've got this.
This tells our nervous system you're safe enough to rest.
Let's stay here for a few moments,
Allowing that sensation to build.
Let's continue to lengthen your exhales,
Breathing here.
It's okay to pause.
You don't need to earn your rest.
You don't need to do anything to deserve it.
If emotions come up as you're breathing,
Let them be a part of the landscape.
There is nothing wrong for feeling however you're feeling.
Staying with this breathing pattern to remind yourself of that.
Breathing into safety,
Knowing that it's safe to experience these feelings.
Now,
Let's take ourselves out of overdrive.
Acknowledging what's coming up,
And taking a step back from it.
Powering down our overthinking minds,
Switching off the anxiety,
The fear,
The panic.
Unplugging the stress,
The worry.
Releasing the valve on tension.
Taking a few moments and using any visual that comes to mind of turning off,
Shutting down,
Closing,
Releasing.
All of those heavy and negative feelings.
Taking a breath,
Noticing how it feels within your brain right now.
Maybe there are no emotions or feelings.
Maybe there's even a glimmer of hope.
Whatever you're noticing,
It's okay.
Continuing to close down and shut off anything that's been bothering you.
Using your exhale to release and to continue signaling to your body that it's safe to do so.
You are free to exist here in this space that you've created.
You're in analog mode now.
You get to choose which switches to turn back on,
Which things to plug back in.
Or maybe it's time to play around with how it feels to exist without those things.
Without your mind going full speed ahead.
Allowing your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
Feeling the steadiness of it.
That breathing that you can rely on without having to think about it.
Resting in the ease of just being.
Noticing that support beneath you.
And seeing if you can lean into it just one percent more.
As you pause here in this safe space,
Asking yourself,
How can you carry this feeling forward?
What is it that you can do to support yourself?
You know the answer,
No matter how big or small.
Trust what comes up.
Let's start to bring some awareness back into our physical bodies.
Picking out one or two sounds in the environment around you.
Notice the feeling of the air on your skin and in your nostrils.
Feel the sensation of your body,
Your physical presence,
Where it meets your clothing and the surface beneath you.
You are here,
Now.
Even though you shut down your anxious mind,
The world has continued to move around you.
Even though you took time to pause,
Life is still in motion.
Nothing fell apart just because you took a few moments for yourself.
In fact,
Things might even feel a little bit easier,
A little bit smoother,
And a little bit more cohesive.
As you return to this new awareness,
There's no pressure to start acting.
No pressure to move ahead at the same speed with which you arrived here.
Let yourself sit in this place of safety and calm for as long as you need,
Anchoring yourself in these feelings.
Whenever it feels right for you,
Softly blinking your eyes open,
Thanking yourself for taking this time.
Thank you so much for joining me here,
For trusting in this space.
Feel free to return to this practice whenever you need a reminder that it's okay to slow down,
It's okay to just be.
