Hello and welcome.
This is Jen,
And I'm so glad you're here.
Do you ever have one of those days where it just feels like nothing is going right?
Where the whole universe just feels like it's against you.
Or maybe it's not a day.
Maybe it's a few days.
Or a week.
Or even a season of your life.
And it just feels like,
Ugh,
Why can't anything go the way that I want it to?
The way that it's supposed to.
The way that I expect it to.
And it can be so frustrating.
And demoralizing.
When we're just in one of these periods where It feels like nothing's going right.
In today's meditation,
I'm going to walk us through a few strategies that can help when we feel like this.
First,
Letting ourselves just feel the way that we feel without judgment.
Or trying to change it.
Second,
Recognizing what is going well.
There usually is at least something,
Usually multiple somethings that are going well,
Even if it's hard for us to see it.
And then connecting with others.
Sometimes when we are feeling like we're having a hard time,
We tend to withdraw and isolate,
Which is,
I know what I tend to do.
Which can compound our feelings of stress.
And add loneliness to it.
So to get started,
Let's find ourselves in a comfortable position.
Maybe standing today if we have a bit more energy and Want more of an active position?
Or finding ourselves a comfortable seat.
Just getting comfortable in our chair.
Back upright.
But not too rigid.
Just a comfortable,
Dignified posture.
And then either closing the eyes or softening the gaze.
And just settling in here.
Focusing on our direct experience.
What does it feel like to be standing here or sitting here right now?
What is our breath like?
Is it deep or shallow?
Is it fast or slow?
Maybe we find ourselves holding our breath a bit.
Sometimes when we're stressed,
That can happen.
Just noticing how the breath is right now.
Noticing any sensations in the body.
Any areas of tension or ease.
Maybe letting go of a bit of tension wherever that's possible.
Maybe in the shoulders.
Or the hands.
Just settling in for our practice.
Now,
We'll notice what emotions are here.
Maybe frustration.
Maybe anxiety.
Around how things are turning out or may turn out.
Fear.
Sadness,
Anger,
Whatever it might be.
Disappointment.
Maybe it's multiple feelings.
Whatever's here,
Just let it be here.
It can be really hard.
To deal with a day or a period of time like this.
Just sitting with this emotion for a few minutes.
Maybe noticing how the breath or the body feels now as we tune into whatever our emotion is.
Just acknowledging it.
No need for judgment.
We're trying to change it.
Just being with however it is that you feel.
Next,
Moving on to whatever might be going well.
Or whatever you might be doing well.
Usually on these days where we feel like nothing is right.
There are a lot of things,
Even if they're small.
That we are doing well.
That are going the way that we want.
Maybe in the midst of all this stress.
We managed to comfort our children.
Or help a coworker.
Or at least we got out of bed and got dressed even if we didn't feel like it.
If nothing else.
We decided to meditate.
That's something.
Just sitting with whatever's here.
As we focus on what is going well.
We've chosen to take a moment to take care of ourselves.
Which will only have a positive effect on the rest of our day.
And on those around us.
Just noticing what's here in the body.
In the breath.
And our direct experience.
As we sit with what is going well.
And now moving into connection.
When we're having one of those days.
Where it feels like no matter what we do,
Everything goes wrong.
This can lead us to withdraw.
I know this happens to me.
I don't even respond to texts from friends or family.
Or return calls.
Because either I don't have the energy.
Or I don't want to bother someone else.
With my negative vibes.
Or I worry about how the interaction will go.
And so I just further isolate myself from the people and experiences that might help me in a time like this.
So one way that we can connect with others is just to remember.
That everyone goes through times like this.
Everyone.
It's part of the human experience.
To have days and periods of time that are just really hard.
Where we feel beat down,
Exhausted.
Maybe a little hopeless.
But it can help us to remember that this isn't unique to us.
The universe actually isn't out to get us in particular.
This is just part of life.
Other people out there who seem to have it all together are probably dealing with a lot that you don't see.
That I don't see.
Everyone has hard times.
Remembering this can make us feel.
Not so alone.
It's the path that we're all on together.
We can also set an intention.
To maybe reach out to a friend or coworker or family member.
If with nothing more than a text.
Because while these interactions can seem challenging when you're having a hard time,
Oftentimes,
They help us reconnect.
Remember that we have support available.
And maybe even help get us out of the little funk that we're in.
And now just sitting with whatever's here.
In the body,
In the breath.
In the mind.
As we remember our sense of connectedness.
To those in our lives.
And to everyone around us.
Everyone goes through things like this.
And now.
As we move toward the end of our practice.
Thanking ourselves for.
Sitting or standing in this practice today.
When it might have been hard to make that choice.
You did it anyway.
In a moment.
I will ring the bell three times.
Which will signify the end of this practice for today.
Just keeping in mind.
That our feelings are valid.
We're doing a lot of things right.
And we're in this together.
Thank you for your practice.
