Good morning.
Some mornings are hard to get out of bed,
And not just because you're comfortable.
Perhaps you are avoiding a tough conversation or are extremely unhappy in your job.
Maybe you just feel off.
Regardless,
When the lack of motivation or even dread creeps in,
Your bed may feel like the safest place to be.
But unfortunately,
Hiding under the covers isn't a long-term solution,
Or a viable one.
If this is how you are feeling this morning,
This meditation is going to help reframe your thoughts to take control of how your day can go,
Letting go of the dread and focusing on the good.
Let's begin by taking a nice long inhale in through your nose,
And on the exhale,
Really let it out.
Now close your eyes.
Take another nice long slow inhale through the nose,
And on the exhale,
Really feel the tension leaving your body.
Repeat that one more time.
Nice,
Long,
Slow,
Cleansing breath in,
And an audible exhale out.
Now continue to breathe naturally,
Remembering that you have the power to not only slow down your breath,
But slow down your thoughts and connect your breath and your thoughts together,
Smooth,
Steady.
And here in this present moment,
Right now you're not wanting to get out of bed,
So let's embrace being in it.
Notice the mattress beneath you,
Supporting you.
Is it firm?
Feel how it supports you.
Feel how your body dips into it as you're laying there.
Feel the sheets,
Their soft,
Silky texture.
And smile,
Smile in that comfort wrapping you in a warm embrace.
What a wonderful feeling to wake up in.
What a wonderful way to start your day.
Breathe in deeply through the nose,
And out through the nose.
And now just notice your body.
Notice how it feels,
If there's any tweaks that happened overnight,
Or if you just feel very relaxed.
Say a silent thank you for all that your body is going to do for you today.
Feed you,
Move you,
Help you with any task you need to accomplish.
So let's hold gratitude for that.
Slowly repeat,
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Moving on to planning your day.
Take a moment to think about one thing you are going to do for yourself this morning that's not work,
Or planning your to-do list,
Or any task around the house.
Just a kindness for you.
It could be a delicious breakfast,
A walk outside,
A longer shower.
And start to look forward to this next step in your day.
Small actions we take within the day to bring us joy can help alleviate stress and negativity.
We need to bake those into our daily plan.
Think about two to three more things you'll do for yourself today to break up the day.
Remember,
These aren't things that are accomplishing a task or crossing off another thing on your to-do list.
These are little pockets of happiness that you can put into your day to spark some joy.
Be specific.
As you're thinking of what these beautiful things might be,
Choose time and an activity.
Call a friend at lunch.
Buy yourself some flowers after a meeting.
Do a five-minute meditation right before you go home.
Whatever they may be,
Think of them now.
Now the day ahead is starting to feel better because you are in control of how it can go.
Now that you have these little moments throughout your day that you know are going to help break up the negativity,
Break up the work,
The things you must do,
Think of how you want to feel today.
How you want to present yourself when you see coworkers.
How you want to be when people pass you on the street.
How you want to be with anyone you interact with,
Your family,
Your friends,
The barista at the coffee shop.
Think of how you want to feel and be today.
Now let's solidify that by silently repeating an affirmation that you can go to anytime during the day.
This is an I am statement.
Affirmations are powerful tools to break negativity cycles.
So right now,
Holding onto that feeling,
Calm,
Connected,
Focused,
Present,
Whatever it may be,
And silently repeat on the inhale,
I am,
And on the exhale,
Your word.
Now I'd like you to continue repeating that affirmation as you inhale,
I am,
And exhale your word.
Continue to do that five to six times,
And I'll mind the time.
Finish your last affirmation,
And then let that go,
And just continue to breathe in and out.
Now let's take one more moment to reflect on how we are going to turn this day into a mindfully happy one.
Think of the next thing you're going to do when you get out of bed,
That one small thing just for you.
Now go over the list of little things you planned for the day,
And how you're going to break up the day by adding these sparks of happy.
There will always be things we have to do,
But we decide how we feel,
And we can create something just for us within.
And while we can't control everything,
We can create these moments of happiness throughout our day,
And hold on to gratitude for all the good that we are creating for ourselves.
Take a nice long slow inhale through your nose.
Start to move your body,
Waking your legs,
Your arms,
Your hands.
Relax your body a little bit.
Now smile,
And open your eyes,
And go have your great day.
