But for now,
Let's just get settled,
Take some time just to really cozy up,
Get ready for this practice,
And just give yourself permission to quiet the mind and support the nervous system in this way to help you transition into your time of rest.
And make sure that you're nice and comfortable,
Whether it's in your bed or anywhere else,
That feels good to you.
And then allow your body to really settle in to the surface beneath you.
Feel the weight of your body being fully supported.
And if it feels good,
You can close down the eyes,
Or if you're listening to these affirmations while you're moving around,
Just take a moment to pause and ground yourself in this moment.
Maybe just by noticing where the feet are standing.
And now bring your attention to your breath.
Not by counting it or controlling it,
But just by simply noticing the natural rhythm of breathing in and breathing out.
With every inhale,
Feel the body gently expand.
With every exhale,
Feel the body soften a little bit more.
Allow the shoulders to drop.
Unclench the jaw.
Tongue falls away from the roof of the mouth.
There's nowhere that you need to go tonight,
Nothing that you need to do.
The doing part of your day is done.
And now is the time to release,
Unwind,
And transition to rest.
Now take a few more slow,
Easy breaths.
Allow these breaths to signal to the body that you're safe and it's okay to rest and be.
Bring your awareness to the back of your body,
The places where you're being held by the surface beneath you,
Or just bring your awareness to the back line of your body.
Notice the back of the head,
The shoulders,
The spine,
The hips,
The backs of the legs.
And as you check in with these places one by one,
Allow it to be an invitation to soften,
To release tension,
Just to let go of any lingering physical grasp from the day.
And now,
Without effort,
Allow a small sense of gratitude to arise within you.
Maybe gratitude for something small but delightful from your day.
Maybe gratitude for the gift of just being here.
You don't need to name it,
But just let that feeling settle in your body.
And now we'll move into our affirmations.
I'll say each one slowly,
And after each affirmation,
You can repeat it to yourself three times,
Either silently in your mind or out loud if you prefer.
I bring this day to a gentle close.
I let go of what no longer needs my attention tonight.
My body is safe and I am at ease.
I soften my thoughts and give my mind a break.
I did my best today and that is enough.
I welcome rest without guilt.
My body is calm and my mind is serene.
I am grateful for the gift of another day,
Even if it wasn't perfect.
I rest easy now,
Knowing I can begin again tomorrow.
I welcome a beautiful night of restorative sleep into my life.
And now taking a big deep breath in through the nose,
And a long breath out of the mouth,
Allowing the affirmations to fade into the background.
There's nothing more to do.
Your nervous system is settling.
Your body is unwinding and your mind can now truly rest.
Thank you for being here and have a lovely night.
