This recording is for you to listen to when you're having a hard time.
This
might be symptoms themselves or the emotional impact of symptoms.
We can
tolerate symptoms at differing levels on different days.
First and foremost,
Let me
remind you I'm here with you.
You are not alone.
You're not the first to experience
these sensations and you won't be the last.
I hope I can help support you
through this rough spot.
And remember,
It's just that.
It's a rough spot.
So let
me walk you through from an acceptance and commitment expired pep talk for your
current experience.
First and foremost,
Let's start off with some diaphragmatic
breathing.
So remember this is belly breathing.
We'll do five breaths together.
So you're inhaling through your belly.
You're using your diaphragm to breathe
in and out to get that maximum exchange of oxygen and CO2.
I want you to breathe
in through your nose and out through your nose with a longer exhale.
But no
specific counts or numbers have to be put on this.
It's whatever is comfortable
for you.
So inhale one and exhale two and exhale.
Inhale three and exhale.
Inhale
four and exhale and inhale five and exhale.
So let's focus all of our
attention on the touch sensation of our body or proprioception.
Start with
noticing the weight of your body on the surface you're touching.
The chair,
The
floor,
A bed or a couch.
If you prefer,
You might notice a sensation of your
clothes on your skin,
Your hand resting on your leg or on a different part of
your body.
Focus your attention on something grounded and still.
If it's
difficult for you to do that with your body itself,
You might use a weight,
A
book,
Something with an interesting texture so you can give your brain some
input other than what you're experiencing in your body at the moment.
Next we're going to focus on thoughts or rather change our relationship with the
thoughts.
So the negative thoughts you're having are just a byproduct of our use
of language for everything.
We like to label things as good and as bad and this
experience understandably falls in the bad category.
But a thought is just a
thought.
Language is just a series of sounds put together.
This experience
doesn't have to be anything bigger than what it is.
In this moment,
It's bodily
sensations you're experiencing.
Don't fight it.
Let it flow through you like a
wave of emotion that will inevitably pass.
When difficult thoughts rise up,
Your mind is trying to use a lot of language.
The what-ifs,
The shoulds and the guilt for whatever else you could be doing
now.
I want you to imagine that thought is in a bubble.
Pick it up,
Set it on a
leaf and allow it to float away down a river.
So allow yourself to create some
separation from your thoughts.
You might have curiosity about them.
Hmm that's an
interesting one.
You might think this as one passes by.
You don't have to attach
to any of them.
You can just watch them float by.
Remember that thoughts are just
thoughts.
They're not truths.
Let me remind you to continue your breathing
and focus on your touch sensation.
And let's remember we're experiencing pain
right now,
But we don't need to add extra negative thoughts.
Labeling,
Trying to
think our way out of this situation.
Remember that this is what contributes
to suffering.
Pain is an inevitable part of the human experience and when I say
pain that could be anything.
It could include dizziness.
I mostly mean just
difficult experiences.
But suffering comes from our use of trying to think
our way out of those painful internal experiences.
So right now surrender to
your bodily sensations.
This is the inevitable part of being human.
We all
experience this pain in some form or another.
You're feeling pain in this
moment.
That's okay.
Whatever emotions you find yourself feeling in this moment,
If
that's sadness,
Anger,
Frustration,
Fear,
It's all okay.
Allow your body to feel
what it feels physically and emotionally.
These things pass.
In this moment your
body is telling you that it needs extra attention and care.
Listen to it.
Provide
your body with the compassion and self-love it's asking for.
If you're
feeling stuck or frustrated,
Unable to turn that compassion inward,
That's okay
too.
Cultivating self-compassion is its own journey.
So remember your experience
today will flow through you.
Today is temporary.
This is not something you need
to figure out the answer to today,
Tomorrow,
Or the next day.
You're on your
own healing journey that you'll take at your own pace.
So give yourself extra
grace,
Extra kindness,
Extra self-care today,
And I'm wishing you well.
