Sleep.
Let your mind do what makes you happy.
There's an old saying that you need three things to be happy.
The first is that you need something to do.
The second is that you need someone to love.
And the third is that you need something to look forward to.
As you go to sleep,
Try addressing these in your internal world as a way to let your body calm,
Your mind focus,
And at the same time plant seeds of well-being for your life.
Let's begin with something to do.
What do you like to do?
Keep it simple and perhaps even playful.
Do you like to play tennis?
Do you like to play a video game?
Do you like to walk into the park or at the mall or sit down and have a chat with a good friend?
Spend some time visualizing doing this thing that you like to do.
If it's tennis,
Visualize yourself playing against a friend.
Or since it's your dream,
Maybe an accomplished tennis star.
Practice serving the ball and returning the ball,
Keeping score,
Changing sides after each game.
Visualize doing this thing you like to do.
And if you fall asleep,
Great.
But if not,
Let's move to the next step.
Think of someone you love.
It could be your child,
Your parent,
Your partner,
A co-worker.
Think of this person you love and just surround them with light.
Think about what you admire about them.
Even imagine them doing the things that you admire about them.
Remember,
Positive times shared together.
Let your heart fill with a relaxing gratitude for the blessings that this relationship and this person has brought into your life.
Remember,
This is not a time to grieve or to worry,
Just to love.
Just to be in the sanctuary of your own imagination,
Which is indeed your very own soul.
Being in that sacred place with the one you have chosen to love.
Know that in this sanctuary of your mind,
You can also allow yourself to be loved by this person and receive it as if it is actually happening.
Because who knows,
Maybe it is.
Do this until you fall asleep or you can move to the third step.
What is something you are looking forward to?
Is it a vacation?
Is it writing in your journal?
Is it meeting a friend for coffee?
This is not a time to think of something you are worried about,
But something you know you will enjoy thoroughly.
Just let your consciousness precede you into this future time and plant seeds of good intentions and feelings.
If your imagination adds more than what is practical,
Just let it go.
But ideally,
Just see things as you imagine they will be.
Go over each moment like your awareness is a bright,
Beautiful,
Relaxing light.
Lining all of this future experience with joy,
With love,
With grace,
With mellowness,
With whatever the aura in which you wish to step into it in the future.
If it's a vacation,
Think about the flight or the drive to.
Think about the hotel room.
Think about the excursions or where you might go to eat.
Think of relaxing by the water.
Do this until you fall asleep or try any of these steps again.
Don't just sleep well or try to sleep well.
Be well.
Let your sleep be a byproduct of being happy and well.
Falling asleep is a great time to visualize our prayers,
To nurture our minds with images and activities we love,
To restore our souls as well as our bodies and our minds.
