Maybe just take a moment to settle into the body.
To get still.
To let your eyes shut down if that feels good.
And just giving yourself a moment to find yourself in a new day.
Today is a completely new day.
Separate from yesterday.
Separate from all the days of your life.
It might even be helpful to say,
Welcome.
Welcome to this new moment,
To this new day.
And maybe even saying thank you.
Thank you for the opportunity to live another day in this body,
On this planet.
And just beginning to notice your breathing.
Notice the inhale.
And how it moves the body inward and up.
And the exhale.
Finding the breath in the nostrils or maybe the belly or the chest.
And for a moment just connecting to the sacredness of this breath.
How literally without this breath there is no life.
And as you have your awareness on the breath,
You also have your awareness on your life.
And as you stay with the breath,
Just see if you can relax the shoulders a little bit more.
Relaxing the belly,
The jawline.
Letting the legs get heavy.
Letting the hips get a little bit heavier on whatever they're sitting on,
Lying on.
And right here,
I want you to bring to mind the change that you're working on,
Whatever it might be.
And I want you to bring it into your mind really gently.
And right here,
I want you to begin thinking about all of the beautiful gifts that this change will give you today.
If you take actions aligned with this change,
I want you to think about all of the positive and all of the beautiful gifts that it will give to you the second you take the action.
Maybe it'll give you confidence.
Maybe it'll help you trust yourself and your ability to choose things that are healthy and helpful for you.
Maybe it'll make you feel strong,
Alive.
Really connect to the gifts that each aligned action will offer.
And I want you to start imagining these gifts and feeling them in your body.
Feel the strength.
Feel the confidence.
Feel whatever gifts it will bring.
Imagine them.
Feel them.
Let them get bigger.
Let these gifts get as big as they want to get.
Maybe even change your posture,
Making it bigger,
More erect,
More straight,
Opening the heart,
Broadening the shoulders.
Imagine seeing these gifts.
Change is about the gifts that are given the moment we choose to align our action.
Yes,
There are future gains and promotions and success and goals being achieved.
All of that is real.
That those things are achieved by what we choose today in this moment.
And the gifts of those choice come today in this moment.
So right here,
Keep feeling the gifts.
Staying in touch with how it feels in the body to embody it right now,
Not waiting for some future day to get there.
And right here,
I want you to think what is a phrase or a couple phrases that would really support me as I step into this day,
As I step into this beautiful opportunity to choose myself,
To choose what matters most,
To choose alignment.
A few of my favorite phrases are,
I am capable of choosing healthy things for myself.
I am capable of feeling the discomfort that comes with change.
I am capable of choosing healthy things for myself.
I am capable of being with the discomfort that arises with change.
Whatever phrases speak to you,
Maybe place a hand on the heart and I want you to say them to yourself like you mean them,
Like your life depends on them for a few breaths.
And right here,
I want you to just bring to mind once more what you're committed to.
Sensing the gifts of this commitment.
Sensing your strength.
Now right here,
Remembering that change is not about perfection.
It's about being mindful.
It's about being aware as we walk through our day and really thinking about what will serve us best in this moment so that we can reap the karma of the next moment of that choice.
When you eat healthy in this moment,
You feel better throughout the next few hours.
Your body is fueled.
Maybe you feel light and not bloated.
Whenever you choose to do the hard thing at work,
Then you reap the benefit.
Whatever you're choosing,
Maybe it's to stop smoking or drinking,
Knowing that the next moment you reap the benefit,
Being able to breathe deeper into your lungs,
Being able to say,
I did it for another day.
Building that self-confidence,
Building that trust in yourself and your abilities to choose.
Whatever you're attempting to change,
Remember it's a process in every moment,
Every day,
Every choice process that can be filled with just as much positivity and hope and joy as you want it to.
It's a beautiful thing when we want to change.
It's almost our soul saying,
I see you,
I see what's possible for you and I want good for you.
And that change just happens each time we choose.
So taking one more deep breath.
You are capable of choosing what's best for you.
You are capable of choosing what's best for you.
You are capable of choosing what's best for you.
Now it's time to go into the world and practice.
Listening to this every day might be helpful as your strength and your trust in yourself grows.
I'll end with a poem by Donna Folds and then I'll ring the bell three times.
Walk slowly.
It only takes a reminder to breathe,
A moment to be still and just like that,
Something in me settles,
Softens,
Makes space for imperfection.
The harsh voice of judgment drops to a whisper and I remember again that life isn't a relay race,
That we will all cross the finish line,
That waking up to life is what we were born for.
As many times as I forget,
Catch myself charging forward without even knowing where I'm going,
That many times I can make the choice to stop,
To breathe and be and walk slowly into the mystery.
I'll end with a poem by Donna Folds.
I'll end with a poem by Donna Folds.
