Live A Great Story

This meditation will help you create an empowering narrative for yourself and become the author of your life. It will help you stop comparing yourself to others. You'll learn how to let go of others' expectations so you can write your story, and allow your unique gifts to shine. You'll leave feeling grounded and optimistic about what's to come.

Transcript

So the theme is live a great story.

I love these this mantra.

It's actually a friend's organization.

So I have a lot of these stickers plastered everywhere all over my house and on my computer.

And I love what this points to is that although and I know in meditation right we although we are all one although we have that connectedness we each all have a unique story.

We each have a unique path to walk and to create and to live and that path doesn't have to look like anyone else's story doesn't have to look like anyone else's life.

And where we disempower ourselves is when we start to compare our story to other people's stories.

When we start to compare our relationship to other people's relationship.

When we start to compare our job or our marriage or our whatever situation and we feel like we're not living it right.

We feel like there's a better way to be doing it and that someone else out there has that better way.

And this really takes us away from owning our story and to realize that there is no right way to be.

There is no cookie cutter way to be.

There are billions of ways that we can live our life and when we start to connect to being the hero and the author of our life and our story we take back the power and we can create something really great.

And I share this as most of you often know a lot of the inspiration for meditations come from my own experiences and I share this because over six years ago I I've been comparing myself in my relationship.

I'll preface by saying that but over six years ago I proposed to my ex-girlfriend at the time without a ring.

That's a very long story but she said yes and so we've been engaged for about six years and last week on Thanksgiving I reproposed this time with a ring and so we've been joking that the longest engagement continues.

And I think in this process you know over the past six years I've I felt this pressure that like well we should be married because that's like what other people are doing and we should have kids because that's what other people were doing and you know when I caught myself in those feelings it would really disempower me and what I've learned and especially in the over the past six months is that my relationship doesn't have to look like anyone else's relationship and by owning that then we get to create our own story.

And so thinking about what that relates to you like what where you've been finding yourself holding some sort of societal expectations on on how much money you should have in the bank,

How many kids you should have,

Whatever those stories that we've taken in,

Thinking about which ones are those which ones are you holding that aren't necessarily serving you and which ones can you let go of so that you can actually empower yourself to create a narrative that's going to be supportive.

And so what we're going to do in today's meditation is work to acknowledge and let go of those expectations,

Let go of any of those shoulds that we feel and also trying to let go of that energy of comparison and then we'll move to embracing where we're at in our lives,

Really embracing our journey so we can take back the power and then to envision and create our story going forward.

And so I thank you so much for taking the time.

I hope you find this useful and helpful for you as we go through.

Move from this outward talking and engaging and then we'll start going inward.

So go ahead and let your body take any movements that it needs to take before it gets settled.

Maybe a couple shoulder rolls or just any kind of rolls of the wrists,

Something that you need to do to just kind of release some stale energy in your body and eventually allowing yourself,

Your body to to release into your support of the ground or the chair beneath you,

Letting the shoulders melt down the back,

Feeling the the groundedness of the support beneath you,

Letting it receive your body.

And as it receives your body also finding this gentle lift through your upper chest,

Lengthening through the back of your neck.

And so we're both grounded and we are alert.

I'm starting to invite in a few rounds of gentle breath just to help you to center.

We're gonna do some more grounding and more of a visualization but just to give us a chance to connect with our breath,

Feeling the expansion in the cool air with each breath in and noting the contraction and the release with each breath out.

Really feeling this breath inside your body and letting your body find its own rhythm.

And really owning your own meditation practice,

Maybe just embracing where you're at in that journey,

Knowing that it doesn't have to look like anyone else's.

That'll be definitely the theme as we go along.

So with each breath just embracing where you're at in your own practice.

And then to continue to help us ground and we'll use as the the backdrop for the meditation,

I'd like you to start to imagine that you are sitting on a west coast beach.

And so depending where you are you might think of California,

Portugal,

Morocco,

Somewhere on the west coast,

Maybe a place that you've been before.

Or maybe you're just imagining yourself looking out towards the sea.

And first connecting just with yourself sitting on the beach,

Sensing the body in the sand,

Maybe you feel that you're sitting on a blanket.

And then starting to notice what you see,

The waves,

Sky,

The Sun,

Maybe you notice other people.

And then tuning into what you hear,

The crashing of the waves,

The rhythm of your breath.

And then bringing in any smell or taste,

See if you can sense that salty ocean air.

And then coming again to that sense of feeling and touching,

So maybe you can sense the the wind blowing by your face.

And feel the warmth of the Sun enlivening your whole body.

And just allow yourself to relax and ground,

Enjoying the scene.

And then as you look out towards the sky,

I'd like you to imagine that your mind was as wide as this sky.

You can sense the spaciousness,

The openness.

And as you feel the spacious nature of the mind,

Maybe setting the intention to open the mind to new possibilities,

New stories that will empower you.

And if you'd like,

You can add in some intentions with the breath.

And so breathing in expansion,

Breathing out constriction,

Breathing in freedom,

Breathing out stuckness.

Or maybe it's just breathing in what you need,

Breathing out what you want to let go of.

Just staying here for a few rounds,

Taking what you need here.

And then together we'll take a full conscious breath in and let that go.

So now to start working with these themes,

I'd like you to imagine that you are standing up from where you were just sitting on your beach.

And you turn to your left,

So now you're facing south.

And what this area represents is your past.

So all the moments and experiences that have gotten to you,

Gotten you where you're at right now.

This is your unique journey.

So as you're looking back down on the beach,

I'd like you to think about what are those stories that you have believed about life?

Maybe those places where you felt society's pressure to conform or to be a certain way.

I should have kids by this time.

I should be married.

I should have this amount of money.

I should have this job.

Our relationship or love should look like this.

And just reflecting,

Noticing any of those expectations that maybe have been held in your past.

And maybe also seeing those people that you've compared yourself to and taken on some of those feelings.

And then whenever those shoulds or expectations are,

See them written down in the sand.

Representing these stories of your past.

And if you can't think of anything specifically,

You're welcome to just imagine maybe the energy of comparison or expectation represented in the sand.

And then ask yourself where did these stories come from?

Did you choose them?

Or were they adopted from parents or from culture?

Because we are all unique and we can choose the stories that we give to our past and to our life.

And so I'd like you to repeat these words silently to yourself as we work to embrace and maybe create from this past.

There is no right way to be.

I am the author of my story.

At any time I can write a new narrative.

I am capable.

I am powerful.

I am the judge.

There is no right way to be.

I am the author of my story.

At any time I can write a new narrative.

I am capable.

I am powerful.

I am the judge.

Allow yourself to breathe in that power.

Maybe coming back to breathing in expansion,

Breathing out stuckness.

And then when you're ready I'd like you to walk down the beach and with your feet imagine that you're erasing out those stories.

And seeing that they're not permanent they're just sand that we can kind of wash out to clear space for something new.

Erasing all of those stories that aren't supporting you.

Or maybe feeling like you're just cleansing your past.

Cleansing those beliefs.

And then imagining that you're kind of imprinting a new story and you're writing it down in the sand.

Maybe it's I am powerful.

Maybe it's love is what I make it.

Or I can have kids whenever I want.

And there is no right way to be.

Whatever you find supportive.

Writing that in your past.

Creating that new story.

And then together let's take a full breath in and breath out.

And so now I'd like you to come back towards the center sitting where you were originally at at the beach.

Looking out at the horizon and noticing that the Sun's starting to set a bit more.

And I wanted us on a West Coast beach so we can really enjoy the sunset.

And then embracing yourself once again here and where you're at in your life right now.

Because what also deters us from living a great story is we think we should be somewhere else than where we are.

And so I want you to feel that strength inside of you.

And sharing with yourself.

There is no right way to be.

I am right where I'm meant to be.

I am learning what I need to learn.

I trust.

I surrender.

There is no right way to be.

I am right where I'm meant to be.

I am learning what I need to learn.

I trust.

I surrender.

And feel the energy of the Sun's rays warming yourself.

Charging your body with this warm embrace.

Acknowledging that you are right where you need to be and when you affirm that you take back your power.

Because you can then create and become the author of your story.

And so enjoy the sun setting honoring that beautiful majestic colors.

Remembering this moment is all we ever get.

And then together let's take a full breath in and a full breath out.

And as the sun goes into the night sky the stars start to appear.

And you notice that a movie screen comes down from the sky almost like you're at a drive-in theater.

And on this screen is the story that you are writing for your future.

And so take a moment to envision and create that future scene.

How are you being in it?

Imagine that you're unbounded from expectations.

Living aligned with your own compass.

Right?

Remember there's no right way to be.

You are the author here.

So what are you witnessing in your future?

And then I'd like you to find appreciation for the scene that you just created and witnessed.

And then I'd like you to now turn your body so you're standing and facing north up the beach.

And this is representing you writing and living that story.

So imagine that you draw a line in the sand right in front of you.

And before you step forward asking if there are any other stories you want to leave behind.

Any of those not enough stories.

Not good enough,

Smart enough,

Young enough,

Talented enough.

Maybe you see yourself stomping those out in the sand here just like we did before.

And then recreating some of that energy again with a few more of those affirmations.

I am the author of my story.

I am capable.

I am powerful.

I am the author of my story.

I am capable.

I am powerful.

And then when you feel ready,

Imagine yourself stepping over that line.

Taking on this new narrative that you are creating for yourself.

And see yourself walking down the beach.

Sensing all of those possibilities.

Maybe looking up towards the night sky seeing all the stars.

And all of those stars represent all the different ways that we can live our life.

There is no right star.

There is no right way.

And so lastly just to embody this,

Imagine that you reach up into the night sky and you grab one of those stars out of the sky.

And you put that star into your heart and into your body.

Representing the uniqueness of your light that will shine as you live your great story.

And then we'll take one last full breath in together.

Letting that go.

Letting go of our little journey on the beach.

Starting to come back to your body.

Maybe you come back to some gentle movements.

And when you feel complete,

Opening your eyes and coming back to our virtual space here.

Reviews

Beautiful! I am sharing meditation this to the Detroit Center for Spiritual Living Insight Timer group as a cooresponding meditation to the daily affirmation from the Sceince of Minf magazine. I think todays affirmation fits beautifully with this meditation. “I celebrate my originality. I welcome in my own Divine design.”

Once again, perfect words for the perfect time, thanks!

Thank you! This was a very empowering and enriching meditation.

Such a powerful practice. It felt so good to be by the sea 😊

So helpful
Just what I needed to rember
I am grateful

Thank you! I feel so refreshed!!

That was an amazing meditation and inner journey TY 🕉

Wow, Lou, that was really a wonderful visualization and perfect affirmations for me. The timing could not have been better. Thank you so much! I am powerful and yet I surrender 💚🙏🤗

The writing in sand and erasing is powerful! Thank you 😊

Once again, I thank you, Lou, for your guidance. So grateful.

Writing “perfect” under every meditation you do is becoming unoriginal but it’s the perfect word. 🤷🏾‍♀️ Thank you for your gifts. 🙏🏾 2/11/21

Thank you for such a kind and loving guided meditation! Always a blessing!

Nice to hear this again , reaffirming its ok to listen to our inner voice. Thank you Lou 🙏🏻🌺

Lou.....that was very powerful. Thank you so much.

Positive gentle suggestions for opening to new narratives. Well done.

This is amazing!! Thank you for helping me to honor the sanctity of my life, and self-worth, by taking the time to do this wonderful practice🦋💜🙏🏾

Great meditation to help you stay in the present

A fantastic liberating journey, thank you!