Building Resilience & Inner Strength

Welcome to a meditation for resilience.

Please find yourself a comfortable position.

You may choose to lie down or to sit in a chair or on the floor.

Once comfortable and when you are ready,

Please close your eyes.

Take a slow deep breath in through your nose.

Hold it for a few seconds and then slowly exhale through your mouth.

Take another deep breath in through your nose.

Hold it for a few seconds and then exhale slowly through your mouth.

Please take one more deep breath.

Hold and release through your mouth.

Now move your attention away from your breathing and down to your shoulders.

Move your shoulders slowly around in circles and back and forth to release any tension.

Let your focus move down to your back where you feel your muscles start to relax.

Now is the time to let go of any tension.

Move your focus now down to your arms and your hands and feel any tension be released from the muscles.

Let your hands sit open and loose in your lap or next to you on the bed depending on how you are positioned.

Now we will move our focus down our legs to our feet and again release any tension that you feel there.

Take another slow deep breath in.

Hold for a few seconds and this time as you release the breath feel any remaining tension leave your body.

If you need to move to get more comfortable please do so now and then we will begin the meditation.

In times of uncertainty it is normal to feel afraid,

To feel stressed or anxious,

To feel frustrated.

As human beings we like to feel in control of our lives and our destiny.

But sometimes things arise in life that we have no control over.

It can be scary to feel that your life is not in your control.

But with uncertainty often comes opportunity.

Our muscles do not grow in strength unless they are put under stress.

Our emotional strength is the same.

While prolonged stress is not good for us,

Shorter periods of stress can lead to new creative ways of being and to new ideas being born.

We are now in a period of great uncertainty that exists across the whole world.

Our patience has been tested,

Our roles in life are coming into question.

But the world is also banding together in a unity we have not seen in a very long time.

Now is the time for us to create a vision of the future that we want to live in.

Now is the time to create an idea to strive for.

Resilience is what is needed to get through the tough times and to overcome what can often feel like insurmountable obstacles.

Resilience is a strength that can be cultivated in anybody.

The human spirit has an incredible capacity for strength,

For growth and for bouncing back when life gets tough.

Being resilient starts with a choice and a decision.

When you have something to strive for,

Any obstacles that get in your way are easier to surmount when a vision of the future you desire is pulling you forward.

What is the future that you are striving for?

What does it look like?

It is okay if you do not have a clear vision right at this moment.

Simply imagining a different time when the obstacle you are facing is no longer here can help.

Imagine what you will be doing.

Imagine how you will be feeling.

We are now going to spend a moment imagining how good things will feel when you step into the life that you desire.

Let's take another deep breath in and as we exhale let's imagine how we are going to feel as we step into the future we desire.

If you are not yet clear on what kind of future you desire and what kind of life you want to step into,

Simply imagine your future self smiling with contentment,

Perhaps sitting in a beautiful environment with the sun pouring down and warming your face.

Imagine you feel so happy,

So fulfilled and so content.

Take another deep breath in and feel that contentment going through all of your body.

You feel the golden light that warms your body as it travels around from your head down through your body to your toes.

You feel very relaxed as if the world is all as it should be.

No matter what life throws at you,

You have the capacity,

The strength and the resilience to get through it,

To get to the other side.

Life is a wonderful gift but it can also come with challenges.

Know that every human being is built for resilience and has an internal strength and capacity to survive the most incredible challenges.

History is full of ordinary people who did extraordinary things.

Know that you are no different to these people.

Whenever you feel afraid or you feel that you do not have the strength to keep going,

Here are some words that I hope bring you comfort.

I have an inner strength that I can rely on when times get tough.

Nothing in life is insurmountable.

This too shall pass.

I am resilient,

Strong,

Brave and I can handle anything.

I am a survivor.

I am creative in times of stress and I always find solutions to any problems.

When times get tough,

I draw on an inner strength that will carry me through.

I believe in my abilities and I am committed to my purpose.

I am supported by my friends,

My family,

The universe.

Just as I am there for them,

They are there for me.

Whenever I feel overwhelmed,

I take a deep breath,

I surrender those feelings to the universe and I fill my body with feelings of joy and courage.

I am a resilient person and I have the ability to navigate my way through tough times every time.

I hope these words bring you comfort and that you can rely on them in times of stress.

Meditation is a very important part of building resilience because it trains the brain how to act appropriately under stress.

Just as it is important to look after your body,

Particularly when going through difficulties,

And to fill your body with healthy nutrition and plenty of fresh water,

It is important to get good sleep and it is also important to build good mental habits.

Resilience is like a muscle that can be strengthened over time.

Be gentle,

Patient and kind with yourself,

Especially now.

Know that we all have an inner strength that we are born with and that we can rely on whenever we need to.

Reach out to loved ones when times are difficult and talk about your feelings.

If you are a private person,

Keeping a thought diary or gratitude diary is a great way to help maintain a feeling of calm and control.

You are the one who gets to write your story.

You are in control of your life and the vision of the future you want to step into.

Acknowledging that times are tough,

Accepting that certain things are out of your control,

And choosing to focus on the positive is how you build the resilience needed to get out of the dark tunnel and back into the sunlight.

You are a strong,

Intelligent and capable person.

From this moment on,

You can rely on the resilience within you by focusing on the bright future that is ahead of you.

You can get through anything.

Please take one more deep breath and as you exhale,

Please gently open your eyes.

I wish for you a day full of blessings,

Love and sunshine.

Thank you.