Let's begin our meditation by finding a comfortable seat.
When you have settled in,
Exhale completely.
Then,
Take a slow,
Deep breath into your lower abdomen.
Hold that for a moment,
And exhale completely again.
Let's repeat that.
Inhale.
Hold.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Hold.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Hold.
Exhale.
Continue breathing in this way for a few breaths on your own.
At any point in this meditation,
I encourage you to return to noticing and controlling your breath.
Call to mind a persistent worry of yours.
Maybe this is about your work.
Maybe it is about how others perceive you.
Maybe it is about your health or safety.
Take a moment to think of a recurring worry.
As you have worried about this in the past,
You have probably come to a conclusion about the outcome.
Maybe you feel certain that if you act in a specific way,
Someone in your life will say something negative about it.
Or maybe you are sure that if you try a new activity,
You will fail in some way.
Ask yourself,
Without judging,
What sort of conclusions you have come to regarding this worry.
These conclusions probably involve outcomes you wish to avoid.
You probably do not want these things to happen,
And some part of your mind is trying to protect you by creating this worry.
Take a moment to thank your mind for trying its best to protect you.
Often,
When we come to conclusions about particular outcomes,
We can forget that these are not certain.
If you find yourself in a strong internal voice,
These outcomes are not certain.
Now that we have acknowledged that these outcomes are not certain,
We can begin to explore other possibilities.
Imagine the scenario you worry about,
Just the beginning of it,
Before the outcome.
Now imagine an outcome that is just neutral.
It's nothing to fear,
And it's not an outcome with which you would be overjoyed.
Imagine what this could be in your circumstance.
Maybe you go somewhere unfamiliar,
And it is simply okay.
Maybe you try something new,
And it goes just fine.
Not spectacular,
And not catastrophic.
Take a moment to think of the neutral outcomes possible in your situation.
Now let's imagine some possibilities that are pleasant.
Perhaps you try a new skill and you find you really enjoy it.
Maybe you meet someone new and make a great impression.
Whatever scenario you were thinking about,
Think of some ways it can go right.
All of the outcomes we have imagined today,
The neutral ones and the pleasant ones,
Are deserving of our attention.
When we worry about the potential unpleasant outcomes,
We can remind ourselves,
That is just one story.
There are other possibilities worthy of my attention.
Thank your mind for helping you consider these other possibilities.
Thank yourself for setting aside this time,
And for putting forth this effort.
Whenever you need to,
You can return to this meditation to make space for more possibilities.
At this time,
Let's bring our attention back to our breath.
On your next exhale,
Exhale completely.
Then,
Slowly,
Deeply inhale into your belly.
Hold your breath briefly,
And exhale again.
Repeat this cycle a few more times on your own.
At the bell,
Let's close our meditation and gently open our eyes.
Exhale in your own breath.
Exhale in your own breath.
