Welcome to Stop the World and the Future You Exercises.
For this practice,
I invite you to think about a future,
About your future self,
And maybe a goal you want to reach,
Or the way you want to feel as you go about your day,
Or maybe the way you want to feel as you show up to a particular experience that's either today or in the new future,
Or even the version of yourself that overall you're wanting to embody.
It can be anything.
There is no right or wrong.
And as you choose that thing,
We're not going to get caught up in when it's going to happen,
Or how it's going to happen.
Those things don't matter.
When you get caught in the details like that,
You get in your own way,
And you start to slow things down.
So instead,
We are going to spend some time being her for a little bit.
And we're going to start by using the tool called Stop the World,
And then we will automatically flow into the Future Self Exercise.
So get comfortable in your seat.
Any way you want to sit is fine.
Feet on the floor,
Legs straight out,
Cross-legged,
No matter.
Whatever feels good to you.
Stop the World is a peripheral vision exercise that you can do anywhere at any time.
And it's a lovely tool to have.
And with practice,
It can in a way become another way of existing in the world,
Especially in stressful or trying moments.
It might seem a little strange at first when we're doing it,
But after you practice it,
You're going to begin to notice a general calm come over your mind and body,
Because your internal dialogue has stopped.
So for this exercise,
Instead of closing your eyes,
I invite you to pick a spot or a focal point and stare at it.
Not stare at it with our eyes wide open,
But stare at it with a nice soft gaze,
Nice relaxed eyes.
We're not looking at an eye chart here at the optometrist.
We're just noticing something and it has captured our attention and we have a nice soft focus on it.
And as you gaze at that point,
Slowly begin to expand your peripheral vision to include all of the space around the spot.
So we're gazing at the point of our attention and we are beginning to have awareness of everything surrounding that point of focus.
Your eyes may soften more and that's a-okay.
The whole point of this is to relax.
Nice natural breathing.
And now begin to expand your awareness to the sides.
First to the right side and expand your awareness all the way to the ceiling,
Or up high if you're outside,
And then all the way down to the ground.
We're becoming aware of what's on the right side of us.
And now let's become aware of what's on the left side of us.
Shift your awareness to the left side and up toward the sky or the ceiling and all the way down to the ground or the floor.
Nice natural breathing,
Nice soft eyes.
And now expand your awareness even more and allow your field of awareness to open so that you can begin to sense the space behind you.
Are you sensing a wall?
Are you sensing a door?
Maybe some pictures on the wall?
If you're in the center of the room,
How far back is it to the wall?
Nice soft eyes,
Being present right here,
Right now.
And feel all that space around you from the spot you're gazing at to the right.
And it goes around and behind you.
It comes in over your left shoulder and your left side,
All the way back to whatever you're focused on.
Now that we've stopped the chatter in your mind,
We're going to go meet your future self.
Now we're going to softly close our eyes and we're going to think of the number 10.
We're going to imagine a wave of relaxation moving from the top of your head,
Over your body,
Down your legs,
And out the tips of your toes.
Let that feeling settle in with your breathing.
Now lightly open your eyes and close your eyes as you think 9 and another wave of relaxation washes over your body.
Imagine the number fading and relaxing right out of your mind.
Open your eyes and close your eyes.
8.
And feel another layer of relaxation deepening your state of comfort.
Allow every muscle to become even more relaxed.
Open your eyes and close your eyes.
7.
And another wave washes over you and the number slowly disappears out of sight.
Open your eyes and close your eyes.
6.
The number fades out of sight as your neck and your shoulders relax even more.
Open your eyes and close your eyes.
Take a deep breath.
5.
Exhale and sink deeper into this relaxation.
Open your eyes and close your eyes.
4.
Your back and your chest and your tummy are extra relaxed now as the number fades out of sight.
Open your eyes and close your eyes.
3.
A wave of peace and relaxation frees up any tension in your thighs and your seat.
Just let it all go.
Open your eyes and close your eyes.
2.
Another wave washes over you and your ankles and your feet and your toes are heavy and loose and relaxed and the number fades out of sight.
Open your eyes and close your eyes.
1.
You are totally relaxed.
Deep inhale back into the center of your head.
Long,
Slow exhale out your mouth.
Now imagine a movie screen in your mind.
Everything is dark and all you see is that giant white screen in front of you.
And playing on that screen is the scene of you becoming or accomplishing or feeling exactly as you decided before we started this practice.
Take a moment and watch the scene.
What's happening on the screen?
Notice all of the details and soak every single tiny detail in.
When I do this,
I like to narrate in my mind.
I see myself standing tall.
I notice my dressing is impeccable.
I notice I'm confident.
I notice how people are responding to me.
If it helps,
Narrate to yourself what you're seeing on the screen.
When it looks exactly as you want,
Imagine yourself,
See yourself floating into the movie on the screen and into the version of you that is already being the way you desire to be,
Accomplishing what you desire to accomplish,
Feeling the way you desire to feel,
And begin to feel how good it feels to be her.
What is it like to be her?
Sometimes when we do this exercise,
It brings up emotion.
That's okay.
Don't resist it.
Feel the emotion and just release anything that's coming up.
Just let it go.
It's all good.
Savor every moment of being her.
Feel into how powerful and capable you are.
Feel it as if it's happening right now.
Feel it being real.
This feeling that you're experiencing is available to you at any time.
Nothing outside of you needs to change.
As above,
So below.
What we're doing here is bringing in this version of you from your energetic field and into your reality.
Nothing can happen in our reality until we imagine it in our mind's eye or think it first.
Now while you're there,
Thank her and tell her that you love her and float back into your body,
Into the here and now.
Maybe wiggle your fingers and toes a little bit.
You don't need to rush.
Maybe begin to move your head a little bit.
And before you open your eyes,
Give yourself a great big smile.
Welcome back.
