Sometimes our inner world feels like a peaceful,
Sunny day.
And other times,
It's as if a storm has blown in.
The wind is picking up.
The rain's coming in sideways.
Maybe even a little lightning in the distance.
We can't always choose the weather that's inside of us,
But we can't choose how we meet it.
So,
Let's take a moment now to sit somewhere steady,
Somewhere safe,
And simply watch the storm.
Find a comfortable place where you can let your body be supported.
It might be sitting or lying down.
Whatever feels right for you in this moment.
If you'd like,
You can close your eyes.
Or you can just let your gaze rest gently on one spot.
We're going to take a breath in through the nose,
And let it out.
Easy,
Through the mouth.
We're going to do it again.
Breathing in slowly,
Feeling the air fill your lungs,
And letting it out.
Just releasing any tension that you don't need to hold on to.
And just keep breathing.
Notice if your shoulders can drop just a little.
Notice if your jaw can unclench.
Notice if your hands can soften where they rest.
Bringing your attention to the breath itself,
Just notice the rise and fall of your chest and your belly.
The air coming in,
The air going out.
Your breath is the anchor here.
It doesn't stop the wind or the rain,
But it does keep you steady.
So just check in with the weather inside you right now.
Does it feel bright and calm?
Maybe a little cloudy?
Maybe a little stormy?
Whatever it is,
That's okay.
There's no need to change it.
No need to fix it.
We can just notice what's here.
See,
Our emotions are kind of like weather.
They can be intense,
Often uncomfortable,
Even really loud.
But just like the weather,
They pass.
They always pass.
And when you feel yourself getting pulled into the middle of it,
You can always come back to your breath.
In and out.
And every time that you practice returning,
You're practicing steadiness.
You're reminding yourself that no matter how strong the storm feels,
There is a place inside of you that is calm and unmoving.
And if you notice your body tensing again,
Your shoulders rising up,
Your hands clenching or your stomach tightening,
Maybe a sense of tightness in your chest,
You can see if you can soften it just a little.
Like telling yourself,
It's okay,
We're safe here.
Breathe in and breathe out.
Maya Angelou once said,
Every storm runs out of rain.
And it's true.
No matter how fierce the clouds,
No matter how heavy the downpour,
It's not going to last forever.
Okay,
Let's take one more slow deep breath in.
And with a slow exhale,
Just let it go.
And as you step into the rest of your day,
Just try to remember,
The storm is never the whole sky.
You are the sky.
The weather will change and you can remain steady through it all.
You just have to remember to breathe.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
And may you be at peace.
Thank you so much for joining me.
