Hey,
I'm glad you're here.
If you're feeling completely overwhelmed or overstimulated right now,
Let's hit the pause button together.
Find a quiet place where you can close your eyes for a few minutes and take a deep breath.
Breathe in through your nose and then slowly out through your nose or mouth.
In through your nose and slowly back out again.
Stay in this rhythm.
Gently breathe in through your nose and slowly exhale.
When you're under stress,
Your body goes into survival mode.
Long steady breath can help you calm down and find balance again.
Keep breathing in calmly through your nose and then slowly out.
If you'd like,
Add a short second inhale before you exhale.
Breathe in deeply through your nose,
Just a little deeper,
And then slowly exhale.
Once more.
Deep breath in through your nose,
Even deeper until your lungs are completely full,
And then slowly breathe out again.
This breathing pattern is called a physiological sigh,
And it's one of the fastest ways to reduce stress.
Breathe in deeply through your nose,
Again,
And then slowly and completely out.
Notice how you're becoming a little calmer with each exhale.
If you like,
Continue with this breathing pattern or return to your normal breathing.
Try to focus exclusively on your breath.
Feel the air flowing into your body and out again.
Notice how your body moves with your breathing.
Perhaps you feel it in your chest or even in your shoulders.
Try to breathe primarily into your belly.
Notice how your belly rises as you breathe in and lowers as you breathe out.
Under stress,
Our breathing can become short and shallow.
By consciously breathing into your belly,
You signal to your nervous system that it's safe to relax.
Breathe deep down into your belly and back out again.
Try to extend your exhale,
Breathing calmly through your nose,
And then slowly out through your nose or mouth.
When we're overstimulated or overwhelmed,
We can be flooded with a wide range of different emotions.
You may feel sad,
Anxious,
Or even desperate.
Keep breathing calmly as you allow these feelings to move through your body.
Imagine them being stirred up as you inhale and carried away with the breath as you exhale.
There's no need to hold on to them or resist them.
Most of them will no longer be relevant to you in a few minutes.
Simply keep breathing,
Slowly in and out.
You know that this too will pass.
Until then,
Offer yourself some compassion.
Maybe you'd like to give yourself a hug or place one hand on your heart and the other one on your belly.
Show yourself the same understanding you would offer to a good friend.
Allow yourself to simply be there for you as you breathe in and out gently.
Feel how each exhale makes you more relaxed and at ease.
Begin to move your awareness through your body.
Feel your head and your face.
Allow your facial muscles to relax.
Loosen your jaw,
Maybe swallow.
Relax your neck and your shoulders.
Soften your arms and your hands.
Move your awareness across your chest and upper back and to your belly.
And lower back,
Feel your hips and your buttocks.
Move down into your legs,
Over your thighs and calves,
All the way down into your feet.
Notice where your body touches the surface beneath you.
Stay connected to that grounding sensation as you continue to breathe in and out slowly.
I hope you're already feeling better.
You can listen to this meditation as often as you need to.
Or when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes and take in your surroundings.
Consider what you would like to do next,
What might feel good right now.
Once you're clear about your next step,
Take another deep breath.
Give thanks for this break before heading back into your day,
Feeling calm and relaxed.
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