Find a comfortable position.
Allow your body to settle into the chair or the surface beneath you.
If it feels safe,
Gently close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Take a slow breath in through your nose and a gentle breath out through your mouth.
Again,
Inhale slowly and exhale,
Letting your shoulders drop just a little.
Allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
Now bring your attention to the thoughts moving through your mind.
Many of us carry a voice inside that can be critical or harsh.
It may say things like,
You should have done better,
You're not doing enough,
Or you're going to mess this up.
For a moment,
Simply notice if that voice has been present for you.
Take a slow breath in and a long breath out.
Instead of fighting with the voice or trying to silence it,
See if you can observe it with curiosity.
You might gently say to yourself,
I notice that my mind is being critical right now.
Just noticing.
Thoughts are something the mind produces.
They come and go,
Often automatically.
But you are not the voice,
You are the one who hears the voice.
Take another slow breath in,
And as you breathe out,
Imagine creating a little space between you and that critical voice.
Like turning down the volume on a radio,
It may still be there,
But it no longer needs to control the moment.
Now quietly remind yourself,
My mind is trying to protect me,
But I don't have to believe every thought I hear.
Take another gentle breath in,
And soften your body as you exhale.
Now imagine speaking to yourself the way that you would to a close friend who was struggling.
You might say quietly,
It's okay to be human.
I'm allowed to learn.
I can move forward one step at a time.
Take one final slow breath in,
And a long steady breath out.
Notice the small space that exists between you and your thoughts.
And when you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes,
Carrying a little more kindness toward yourself as you continue your day.
Namaste.
