Sustainers Drainers

This audio track provides an interactive mindfulness session that guides listeners through creating a personalized "sustainers and drainers" matrix. Rather than a standard silent meditation, the speaker instructs the audience to gather a pen and paper to list personal life factors. Listeners are prompted to categorize their daily habits, relationships, and hobbies into columns that either fuel their inner calm or induce stress. The exercise concludes with a grounding breath practice designed to help individuals consciously integrate more self-sustaining activities into their routines.

Transcript

This is a sustainers and drainers practice. So it's a bit different from a standard meditation practice in that you're going to be writing things down. So go and get yourself a pen and some paper. If you do have a designated notebook for your mindfulness and compassion learning, That's brilliant because then it's all in one place. Okay. So this is really about thinking of the things in your life that create stress and also create calm. So obviously the sustainers are the things that sustain you and create that calm and the drainers are the things that give you stress. Okay, So let's just start by settling ourselves. You might want to sit by a table. But just for the moment, Bringing yourself into now. Some very noisy birds here. Feeling the weight of your body on the chair. Just closing your eyes briefly, That feels good. And taking in some nice big breaths. Into your belly. If you can. Just noticing that air coming in. I'm noticing the air coming out. And it really is a worthwhile practice. So if you think, Oh, I'll just remember it, It's not quite the same as having it in black and white. So if you haven't got a pen and paper, Then. . . Try and get one now. You can actually use your phone if the audio still keeps playing. Okay, So opening your eyes. Drawing a line down a piece of paper in the middle. So if you write sustainers on one side, And drainers on the other side. So let's start with sustainers. So this is to look for all the activities and the things that you do or don't do or used to do that sustain you. So using these as prompts. Any hobbies that you might have. Cooking, Gardening. Maybe eating is one of your sustainers. I really enjoy that. Exercise. Social media maybe. Nature. Entertainment. So this could be music or gaming or TV. Drinking something maybe soft or alcoholic or soothing. If things pop into your head with the drainer's side, Just write them in there as well. Be people. Bear in mind that some things might be both. So a nice chocolate bar might turn into eating a whole bar and not feeling great about it. Same with alcohol or tea. Possibly exercise. Which is really good for you but it might turn into a drainer if it's competitive or stressful. And now reflecting on some of the things that you used to like doing. That you might want to reprise. Playing an instrument or painting. Writing. Consider random things like a bath or perhaps putting on perfume. Lighting a candle. Using essential oils. And now moving into the drainer's side. Might be the school room that you find draining. Might be conversations with a particular family member. Just think through your days and what you find stresses you out. Okay, So we're going to start wrapping this up, So you can pause this recording if you feel like you've got many more that you want to write down. Okay, And just reflecting on your list now, So looking at your sustainers, As you look at that list, Just tuning into how these things make you feel. And the idea is that the drainers, They might be things that you have to do and you can't avoid them. But try and bring in. As many sustainers into your day as possible. It needn't take a long time. For example, If it is putting perfume on, That could just take a moment and then that scent can stay with you for a few hours or the day and can comfort you. But it's about really being mindful of how you spend your time and noticing at that time how it's affecting you, Whether positive or in a negative way. But also what we can do. Maybe bringing into your list something like a breathing practice that will bring your stress levels down. And then you can resource yourself for when you have to do those unavoidable drainers. Okay, So let's just finish the practice again. By bringing yourself to the present moment. Closing your eyes if you want. Tuning into the sounds around you. Just noticing your breath. You might want to put a hand on somewhere supportive, Like your chest or your tummy. And just setting that intention to bring in those more sustaining activities and to notice them as well. Okay, So gently letting go of the practice. Opening your eyes. Looking around. And continuing with your day. Thank you.