Hi everyone.
It's Alex here from Grit.
Welcome.
So we all know what anxiety feels like.
Sometimes it's fight,
Flight,
Or freeze.
Sometimes it's a fist gripping our heart.
Sometimes it's a knot in our stomach.
Today we're going to practice sitting in this discomfort and being okay with it before moving through it.
Our mind usually tries to distract us so that we don't have to feel the hard stuff.
But maybe for a few moments we remind ourselves that the hard stuff is part of what makes us human.
And that it's natural and normal to feel anxious,
To feel stress,
To feel the hard stuff.
Find a comfy position.
Let your body be heavy into whatever is holding it up today.
Whether it's the floor,
Whether it's a chair,
Whether it's the green grass.
And let's start tuning in to what our breath is doing.
And as we start dropping in and tuning in,
We investigate what's happening in our bodies right now.
If we are feeling anxious right now,
Where do we feel that?
How does it feel physically?
Let's take a few breaths into those sensations.
And then we let that go.
And for the next few breath cycles,
Can we see if it's possible to slow down our breathing?
Mindfully tuning into a really slow breath pattern that possibly holds at the top for a second or two,
And then exhales even slower than the inhale.
So breathing in,
Holding it,
And breathing out.
Breathing in,
Holding it,
And breathing out.
Let's see if we can continue like this.
I'll give you some time and I'll be here holding the space for you.
Let's see if we can continue like this.
I'll give you some time and I'll be here holding the space for you.
And if your mind has wandered,
We remind ourselves that it's natural and it's normal.
It's your mind's job.
And we just simply and gently bring our mind back to our breath time and time and time again.
And each time we do that,
We're giving ourselves the gift of a healthier,
Happier brain.
Maybe we ask ourselves if it's possible to relax our physical body five percent or ten percent more,
And we sit in that place quietly,
Softly.
And so what if you noticed a tight knot in your stomach?
The tight knot happens when things are complex and tense and unpredictable and uncomfortable.
And for the next little bit,
What would happen if we were able to loosen the knot with our soft breath?
Maybe with each exhale,
The knot releases a little bit more.
And every time our mind wanders,
We just simply bring it back to the releasing of the knot.
Breathing in,
Breathing out,
The knot releases a little bit.
And we just continue like this for a whole bunch of breath patterns,
Softly.
And finally,
The knot is a long piece of rope,
Maybe like a tug-of-war rope.
And we follow it,
Walking along it.
It's heading somewhere.
And as we follow it,
There's a soft light off in the distance.
And we keep walking along the rope,
Methodically doing the work,
Day in and day out,
Not sure what the outcome is going to be.
Until we come upon a quiet meadow,
It's sunset and the sun is slowly lowering in the sky.
And maybe we stand tall,
Confident and proud,
With our in-breath reaching down to our toes,
Circulating through our entire body to the top of our brain,
And finally out of our nose.
And we're in a place of clarity and calm and quiet.
And maybe it's here that we can hear the quiet truths of our own heart.
And maybe it's here that we can be curious with a beginner's mind about how we're going to show up.
And maybe it's here that all the pieces just fall into place,
Or the dust settles.
And whenever you feel ready,
My friends,
There's no hurry.
Just softly and quietly bring yourself back to the space that you're in.
Maybe look around to notice something you haven't seen before.
And then give yourself a little smile for untangling that knot of anxiety.
Thank you and see you soon.
