This is a short guided meditation to help tame your inner critic.
So to start this mindfulness practice,
Just start by focusing on your breath.
Nice,
Slow,
Deep breaths.
Use the physical sensation of breathing in and then breathing out as deeply and best as you're able.
Get yourself into a position of a posture of ease,
Comfort,
And strength.
However you're feeling right now,
Just leave things alone for the next few moments.
Your attention wanders and then gently comes back to breathing in and breathing out.
For many of us,
This already is enough to bring up some form of self-judgment to mind.
You may immediately start thinking,
I'm not particularly good at this,
Or I should do this more often.
But for this brief practice today,
Just reflect somewhere in life where you do feel judged in some way.
Notice first how judgment is more than a single thought.
It may affect how you feel with a sense of tension or unease somewhere in your body.
It may influence your emotional state.
Then notice where your thoughts go when experiencing this kind of self-criticism and the patterns you fall into under this kind of stress.
Now,
And for the next few minutes,
Practice leaving that voice of judgment,
That inner critic alone.
Stop wrestling with it,
Or appeasing it,
Or pushing it away.
Label it if you want,
Or even give it a specific name if you prefer.
Recognize what it feels like to you and then let it be.
On each in-breath,
Acknowledge whatever you're experiencing right now in your body,
Your emotions,
And your thoughts.
Nothing to fix or change.
This is just what's going on right now.
And then on each deep,
Full-out breath,
Offer yourself relief.
Wish yourself what you would a close friend with the same doubts.
Breathing in,
Just acknowledging.
Breathing out,
Wishing yourself relief,
Or strength,
Or humor,
Or joy,
Or anything else that feels appropriate.
Breathing in,
This is how things are.
Breathing out,
Focusing on ease,
Or whatever else comes to mind.
Breathing out,
Focusing on ease,
Or whatever else comes to mind.
And wish yourself well,
Not because you deserve it any more than anybody else,
But because you deserve it as much as anyone else.
Breathing out,
Focusing on ease,
Or whatever else comes to mind.
Breathing out,
Focusing on ease,
Or whatever else comes to mind.
Breathing out,
Focusing on ease,
Or whatever else comes to mind.
Breathing out,
Focusing on ease,
Or whatever else comes to mind.
Focusing on your breath again,
To feel and acknowledge your relaxed body.
Take a nice big deep breath,
And knowing that you can come back to this practice anytime you need.
Start to wiggle your fingers and toes.
And very gently,
Ever so gently and kindly,
Bring your full awareness back to where you are.
And gently open your eyes,
All the way back feeling calm and at ease.
