Motivating self-compassion break.
Please find yourself a comfortable seated position.
And let's start by taking a couple of deep cleansing breaths with each inhale further connecting within your body.
If it feels comfortable,
You can put a hand or two on the heart or somewhere else that feels supportive and soothing.
And letting this gesture be a reminder of bringing loving awareness to ourself.
For the remainder of this practice,
You can either leave your hands on the body,
Or you can drop down your hands onto your lap or your side.
I'd like to invite you to think of a goal or a meaningful change that you'd like to bring about in your life.
Perhaps you'd like to be in nature more often or make a career change.
Maybe you'd like to finish a particular project or something that's meaningful to you.
Take a moment now to notice what that would be.
Try to imagine now living in a reality where you would be doing this change for yourself.
Noticing how it feels to be doing what your goals have been visualizing it for yourself clearly in your mind's eye.
What feelings arise when you think about making this change?
Perhaps there is frustration,
Disappointment,
Fear.
Or perhaps there's excitement,
Joy.
Make contact with the emotion as a physical sensation in your body.
And now let us connect back into the posture that we're in right now.
Perhaps raising your shoulders up and back if you're in a seated posture,
Connecting to your spine.
Making sure that your posture feels energizing and that you're not slumping.
We're going to be saying a series of phrases.
And you can say them silently or you can say them out loud,
Whichever feels most comfortable for you.
These phrases are designed to connect with the three components of self compassion so that we can motivate ourselves to make a change with encouragement and support.
As always,
The goal is to find language that makes sense to you and feels natural.
With the first phrase,
We're going to be connecting with the elements of mindfulness.
So that there is clear focus on what needs to change.
So if it feels right,
You may want to say to yourself,
I want to make a change.
This is how I want to move forward.
Or you can say,
This isn't working for me anymore.
I need a change.
This goal is important to me.
This change would make me happier.
You're noticing if some other words speak to you and saying them to yourself right now.
And now we're going to connect with phrases of common humanity.
So perhaps saying to yourself,
This situation is an opportunity to learn and grow.
Other options can include change is a part of being human.
We usually get it wrong before we get it right.
Or you can say,
I'm not the only one who has faced a challenge like this.
Now offering yourself a supportive gesture,
Perhaps putting one hand on the opposite shoulder and just having a squeeze of support.
We want to use kindness to support ourselves to make needed changes,
Not because we are inadequate as we are,
But because we care and want to be happy.
Now trying to say to yourself with a warmth and conviction.
I will support myself.
I am here for myself.
No matter what happens,
I will catch myself if I fall.
I will try to be my best self and see what happens.
If you're having any difficulty finding the right words for yourself.
You can also imagine that someone you really care about.
Maybe they are also having the same kind of challenge in their life.
What words would you say to them to encourage them to support them in making a change?
What would be your tone of voice?
And see if you can give that same message to yourself.
Finally,
Allow the fierce energy of encouraging wise vision to combine with a tender energy of unconditional self acceptance.
We can try to make changes and reach our goals,
But the bottom line is we're also okay as we are.
It's okay to be imperfect.
We all are.
We will try to do what we can to be happy and to alleviate our own suffering because we care.
We want to improve ourselves for this moment.
And now gently letting go of this image.
Connecting back to your breath.
And then whenever you're ready,
Gently opening your eyes.
