Welcome.
I'm so glad that you're here with me today.
At the beginning of a new year,
There can be so much noise,
So many messages telling us who to become,
What to fix,
What to improve,
How to be better.
If you're feeling tired of any pressure,
Or maybe you're feeling quietly resistant,
Or simply overwhelmed by it all,
Then this meditation is a soft space for you.
This is a space where nothing needs to be achieved.
There's no goals to accomplish,
And you don't need to be productive.
You don't need to set intentions or resolutions here.
This practice is just for a few moments where you're simply allowed to be.
If it feels comfortable and safe for you to do so,
I invite you to gently close your eyes,
Or soften your gaze to an object in the room that you're in.
We'll begin by taking a deep cleansing breath in through your nose,
Holding at the top for a second,
And releasing through your mouth with a sigh.
Then allowing your breath to come back to its natural rhythm,
Not changing anything,
Just letting it be.
If you're seated,
Allow your shoulders to come away from your ears,
Let gravity do its job and allow them to sink down,
Or if you're lying down,
Allow the ground that's supporting you to take the weight of your shoulders,
Allow them to feel heavy and be supported.
Allow your tongue to come away from the roof of your mouth,
And let your jaw soften,
And let your body know that it doesn't need to brace or prepare for anything.
And notice that the support beneath you,
The ground that's holding you,
Whether that's the floor,
A chair,
Your bed,
It's holding your weight without any effort.
And you don't need to hold yourself here,
You are allowed to be held.
You may notice thoughts drifting through your mind about the year ahead,
Things that you feel you should do,
Ways that you should be different,
Promises that you feel you're meant to make to yourself.
And if those thoughts appear,
See if you can acknowledge them and meet them with gentleness.
You're not pushing them away,
You're not believing everything that they say,
But you're just gently noticing.
Just quietly remind yourself,
I don't need to reinvent myself to be worthy,
I don't need to rush my healing,
And I am allowed to move at my own pace.
And let your breath carry these words through you,
Just softly.
Imagine for a moment that you've been holding a physical heavy list,
A list of expectations,
Resolutions,
Self-improvement.
And notice how heavy it feels in your hands,
How much energy it takes to keep holding it,
And when you're ready,
Imagine placing that list gently down beside you.
You're not throwing it away,
You're just setting it down.
You can come back to it later if you choose,
But just for right now you don't need to carry it.
Feel your hands relax,
Feel your chest soften,
Feel any relief of not having to be in progress right now.
If it feels comforting,
I invite you to bring one hand to your heart,
Feel the warmth beneath your palm,
The steady rhythm of your breath.
And instead of asking,
Who should I become this year?
Try gently asking,
What do I need more of?
What would feel kind to myself?
What would help me feel more supported?
Maybe what you need isn't transformation or any change,
But maybe it's rest,
Maybe it's reassurance,
Maybe it's space,
Maybe it's tenderness,
Or maybe it's kindness.
I'd love for you to offer yourself these words.
I am allowed to begin this year gently.
I am allowed to be human.
I am allowed to grow without forcing.
And let these phrases settle into your body,
Not as instructions,
But as permissions,
Kind permissions for yourself.
Imagine this year not as a demand to change,
But as an open landscape.
You don't have to sprint into it.
You can walk,
You can pause,
And you can rest along the way.
And growth doesn't have to be loud or visible.
Sometimes it looks like choosing kindness over criticism,
Listening instead of pushing,
And staying rather than fixing.
Let this year be a continuation of yourself,
And not a correction.
I'd like for you to take one more of those deep but gentle breaths.
So when you feel ready,
Take a deep breath in through your nose,
Pausing at the very top for a second,
And releasing out through your mouth with a sigh.
Bringing your breath back to its natural rhythm.
And please know this,
That you are not behind,
You are not broken,
And you do not need to earn your worth.
As you move back into your day,
I invite you to carry this gentle intention with you.
This year,
I choose to treat myself with kindness.
And as we come to the end and close our practice,
I'd like you to bring some gentle movement back to your body.
Maybe beginning to wiggle your fingers and toes if that feels nice.
Perhaps rolling your shoulders softly.
If you've had your eyes closed,
Just gently open your eyes,
Or bring your gaze and awareness back to the room you're in.
There's no rush,
Take your own time.
I'm wishing you a happy and healthy year ahead,
And I hope that you'll treat yourself with the kindness that you should.
