Hello,
I'm Lorie Cameron.
Let's practice generating a positive mind,
One of the kindest,
Most compassionate things you can do for yourself and others.
When your mind is in a positive state,
You are more resourceful,
Creative,
Collaborative,
And skillful,
And a positive mind is a pillar of well-being.
Let's start with a short guided meditation and then move into questions that help you tune into the good in your life.
I'll invite you to journal the answers if you like.
So start by finding a posture that allows you to be present,
Alert,
And relaxed.
Feel your feet flat on the floor.
Pull yourself up so you feel your height.
Pull your shoulders back and relax your jaw.
Allow your hands to rest comfortably in your lap.
Now bring attention to breathing.
Wherever it is most easy for you to follow the breath,
Let that be where you rest attention.
Feel the inhale and the exhale.
Rest at your own natural pace.
You're breathing like a calm blue ocean.
Now let's gladden the heart.
Scan your life and bring attention to what is good right now.
Where do you feel harmony,
Contribution,
Beauty,
Joy,
Creativity,
Connection with others?
Let yourself be open in how you're scanning your life,
Seeing moments and people and situations with fresh eyes.
Pick one thing from what you generated in your mind's eye.
It might be an event that happened earlier,
Something you're observing right now,
Or an action that you took or someone else did.
Now take in the good.
Make this observation or situation or moment bigger.
Find it by bringing in all of your senses.
What are you seeing,
Hearing,
Smelling,
Touching?
Bringing all your awareness and attention to this moment of good.
That's it.
Make it bigger and bigger.
Let your awareness of it grow.
Now let it sink in.
Create it with your bones,
The beat of your heart,
The rise and fall of your chest as you breathe.
That's how you take in the good.
Now let's apply this practice to the roles you hold at work and in your life.
What is something specific that is working well?
Appreciate the contributions you're making in the world.
Where are you serving?
You might bring to mind a central commitment,
Whether it's raising a child,
Supporting a business venture,
A role you play at work or in your community,
Or working on a creative project.
Ask yourself,
What's going well in this role?
How am I contributing to it?
To take in the good and install that sense of appreciation and let it take hold,
Spend at least 15 seconds or a full breath thinking about your contribution,
The impact you're making.
Notice how the practice of taking in and savoring the good feels in your body.
What do you notice?
Try putting your hand on your chest,
Feeling the soothing weight of your own hand.
Allow awareness for all that you're doing and ways that you're serving.
Feel your mind,
Your body,
Your heart.
Connect to this experience by allowing gratitude to arise.
Deepen joy by adding appreciation to the moment.
Savoring with appreciation is a key to happiness and wellbeing.
Now let's practice deepening gratitude.
Bring to mind someone you're deeply grateful for,
Someone that brings up a sense of gratitude that they're in your life or they were in your life.
As you think about this person,
Reflect on why you're grateful for them.
How have they affected or impacted your life?
If you could right now,
What would you say to this person to express your gratitude for them?
If you like,
We can add journaling as a next step.
If you don't have a paper and pen,
You can do this with me as a reflection.
Now thinking again of that person you're grateful for,
Write down what you would like to express from your heart to this person.
Authentic journaling is a way to anchor and deepen that sense of gratitude.
You can also send this off in a letter.
Now pause here.
Take a moment to scan the body,
Noticing how gratitude feels in the body.
If you like,
You can share this gratitude practice with a partner,
Colleague,
Or friend.
Keeping someone that you're grateful for and why,
And then taking turns inviting that person to share with you as well.
These practices of gratitude are based on the research of Martin Seligman and are associated with a significant boost in positivity and happiness,
Cultivating a positive,
Appreciative outlook which really impacts our performance,
Our relationships,
And our wellbeing.
And remember,
What you practice grows stronger.
So well done.
Thank you for joining me in cultivating a positive mind.
May you be well.
