Welcome,
I'm Ellen Hendrickson.
Let's begin with the breath.
Gently guide your attention away from racing thoughts and onto the breath.
Hopping out of the head,
Out of the monkey mind,
And landing safely in the breath.
Treat yourself to a long,
Slow inhale and a long,
Slow exhale.
And let that circle of breaths continue.
Now,
Explore your body for pockets of anxiety,
Footholds of fear.
And gently seek out that feeling of what if.
That anxious urge to avoid,
That feeling that something bad is going to happen.
It may be subtle,
A resigned resentment,
Or it may be loud,
Frantic,
And panicky.
Where do you feel it?
Anxiety in your heartbeat,
Your stomach,
Your muscles.
However you experience the anxiety,
Acknowledge it,
Honor it,
And breathe into it.
Your anxiety has good intentions.
It's trying to keep you safe.
It wants to protect you,
To keep you safe from harm.
So acknowledge your anxiety.
Think it as you breathe into it.
Thank you brain for these thoughts.
Thank you body for these signals.
Feel gratitude for their service.
And now,
Slowly,
Set them free.
On an exhale,
Let your belly go soft.
Release the fear and tension in your gut.
Next,
Let your shoulders drop.
Allow them to fall and hang comfortably.
Relax your jaw.
Release the pressure from your teeth.
Relax your scalp.
Gently release the tension it holds.
Relax the muscles around your eyes,
Unfurrowing your brow.
Release your next exhale slowly,
Drawing it out deliberately.
And at the end of your exhalation,
Ever so slightly,
Feel your heart rate slow.
Relax into your long,
Slow breaths.
And then,
Allow a hint of a smile to form on your lips.
Feeling lighter,
Feeling looser,
Feeling the tension recede.
Treat yourself to a long,
Slow inhale and a long,
Slow exhale.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes and step forward into your day.
