Hello and welcome.
My name is Diane and I'm really glad that you paused and pressed play.
Whatever is spinning right now,
Whatever your mind is carrying,
Whatever your body may be bracing against,
You don't have to fix any of it right now.
You just have to be here with me for just a few moments and let your system remember that it already knows how to find its way back to calm because it does.
It always has.
And sometimes it just needs a little help remembering.
So wherever you are,
Sitting,
Standing,
Or if you're lying down,
If it feels comfortable and safe to close your eyes,
Go ahead and do so.
Otherwise,
You can just gently soften your gaze downwards and just arrive just as you are right here.
I want to speak directly now to that busy mind of yours for just a moment.
That mind that is always working,
Always scanning,
Always trying to stay one step ahead of anything that might go wrong.
That mind of yours,
It's not your enemy.
It's just been trying to protect you.
But right now,
We're going to gently invite it to rest just for these few minutes that we're together.
Go ahead and bring your awareness down out of your head and into your body by just noticing the support beneath you,
Either under your feet,
Behind your back,
Or the back of your legs,
Just feeling into the connection between your body and the surface beneath you.
Supporting,
Just being fully present.
You are here in this body,
In this moment,
And in this moment,
You are okay.
This moment,
Right here,
Right now,
And in this moment,
You're okay.
Let's begin to work with your breath because your breath is the fastest,
Most direct way to tell your body,
Your nervous system that the emergency is over.
You're not in danger.
Go ahead and place one hand just gently over the center of your chest,
Right over your heart,
And begin to feel the gentle pressure and the warmth of your own touch right there.
And have you breathe in a very specific way.
It may sound a little funny,
But if you were to imagine that your heart or the center of your chest had nostrils,
Imagine that you're drawing your breath in right in through the center of your chest,
Right into your heart,
And breathing out through your heart,
Just as if your heart itself is breathing,
Breathing in and breathing out even more slowly,
Again,
Breathing in through your heart space,
Releasing it just as if you were exhaling through your heart.
One more time,
Inhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
And exhale 2,
3,
4,
5.
You can already feel it,
That subtle shift,
Your heart rate beginning to slow,
Inviting your shoulders to drop down just a little away from your ears and your mind just a fraction quieter.
That is your own body remembering.
And I want to leave you with something before you return to your day.
Your sensitivity,
The very thing that makes anxiety feel so loud,
Is also the thing that makes you deeply perceptive,
Deeply compassionate,
And deeply alive to this world in a way that most people will never be.
Anxiety is not you,
And it is not a flaw.
It's something that you're just experiencing.
It's a signal.
And today,
Today you listened to that signal.
You paused,
You came back to yourself,
And that,
That is everything.
And go ahead and take one more slow breath with me now,
Inhale.
I want you to carry this with you.
When we close in just a moment,
I want you to remember these words.
I am not my anxiety.
I am the one who notices it.
And I always know the way back.
And you,
My friend,
Are welcome back here to revisit this anytime you need to.
Whenever you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes and go gently with yourself today.
And again,
Thank you for joining me.
I'm really glad you came.
Thank you.
