Okay.
Assume a posture that feels both dignified and stable.
And close your eyes.
Become aware of the sensations in your body.
Just observe your ribcage or belly gently expand on the inhalation.
And bathe your body with an exquisite attention.
Observe how quickly the quality of the body shifts with your exquisite attention.
Bring attention now to any sensations of sound,
Including and beyond the sound of my voice.
As you do so,
You'll notice that sounds arise unbidden,
Constantly,
Impinging upon our ears without our willing it.
Consciousness allows this awareness of sensations without any willing on your part.
As your attention expands outward toward those sounds,
You might experience sensations of openness.
And bring attention to your visual plane with eyes closed.
You'll likely notice a combination of darkness and light sensations.
Simply sense this visual plane as expanding beyond the borders of your skull.
Infinite,
Like the sky.
If you're listening to this lesson in the morning,
Then I invite you to feel the anticipation of the day,
As if the sun were rising within your mind.
If you're listening to this lesson in the evening,
Then feel the anticipation of tomorrow's sun rising within your mind.
Notice how you can be fully present while also anticipating the near future.
These two qualities of mind do not have to be in conflict.
Now bring to awareness your most impactful work,
Your most meaningful work that you may be engaged in within the next one or two days.
Ask yourself for this coming day,
What am I deeply curious about?
Now simply sense,
Without conceptualizing necessarily,
Simply sense what might be on the perimeters of your awareness.
Just track any sensations,
Images,
Words,
You might ask yourself with openness and curiosity this question,
When it comes to my impactful work,
What do I not know about?
Simply acknowledge what comes to awareness with curiosity,
If not a little humility.
Then you might ask yourself,
What challenge in the coming day am I likely to face?
Is there an internal challenge,
An energetic challenge,
Challenge of motivation?
Is there potentially an external obstacle or interruption or distraction?
How can I finesse that challenge?
How can I maneuver through that challenge with more creativity than reactivity?
You might indulge by imagining yourself in the near future of this coming day,
As this challenge or obstacle arises.
And just observe how you aspire to feel as you respond to this challenge.
In a moment you might pause this recording and in your notebook you might reflect on one or more of your responses.
I can assure you that the more you honor your own curiosities,
The more that all of the human experience simply becomes part and parcel of basically the human drama that just happens in our daily reality.
Sometimes because of a challenge that arises,
You might be just a little bit more able to be focused,
To be in flow,
To be a little bit more creative,
A little less reactive.
Okay,
You can keep your eyes closed for the next segment,
If you wish,
Which is aimed to connect you with your young genius,
Character strengths,
And your sense of devotion today.
So foster a sense of safety within your body and imaginative memory.
Let your memory take you back to a time when you were young and you felt free and alive to be your most unique expression of who you've always been.
You might be 7 or 8,
9 or 10,
Maybe you're older if that's better for you.
You might see images of you being outdoors or indoors,
Among friends,
With an animal,
Alone.
Simply observe what you are uniquely doing and how,
And observe how you feel.
With open appreciation,
If not admiration,
Observe that young genius,
And what are the three adjectives that describe that young genius at their most alive and free?
What three adjectives describe that young genius at their most alive and free?
You might open your eyes and write down those qualities as strengths,
As character strengths.
And then recenter yourself,
Might help to close your eyes,
Place your right palm over your heart if that helps anchor your attention.
Maybe your left palm at your belly,
Just below your navel,
If that helps.
These are just ways to redirect the attention,
To keep the thoughts from spinning.
And ask yourself,
What am I devoted to today?
What work or with what intention am I devoted to today?
You might observe a word,
Phrase,
Or simple sentence that completes this prompt.
Today I am devoted to blank.
Write down that devotion if you wish,
Make it short and memorable,
So you can carry it with you,
So to speak,
Throughout the day.
You might be noticing how curiosity,
Your young genius character strengths,
And devotion all can complement each other,
To literally shift the quality of your day.
As always,
I encourage you to spend time each morning this week replaying this recording,
Responding to these key tracking window prompts,
And just observe what happens.
It's an honor to practice with you,
And I hope to see you soon.
Be well,
And thanks for running with me.
