If you're listening to this,
Please know that burnout is a common and natural response to chronic stress.
There is nothing wrong with you,
You're not lazy,
Unproductive or weak,
You're human.
If you're listening to this,
You definitely need a break.
You need regular time to yourself to gently reset and recharge.
If you're listening to this,
Please know that you're precious,
One of a kind and loved.
You must be protected and cared for,
After all there is only one of you.
If you're listening to this,
Please know that by asking for help from professionals and from people that you trust,
And by taking the time you need to rest and heal,
Over time you will feel better.
But for now,
Well done on giving yourself this few minutes just by yourself to rest and reset today.
Let's sit together for a while,
Take some time out.
To get yourself into a comfortable position,
Doesn't matter what position you're in,
As long as you feel comfortable and you're somewhere that you won't be disturbed for a few moments.
Just gently focus on your breath,
You don't need to do anything at all.
Your body is wonderful and it knows how to breathe.
There are areas where we typically hold tension,
So we'll just move our attention around the body,
Focusing on those areas.
Let's start by focusing on our forehead.
How does your forehead feel?
If there's any tightness or tension,
Can you just gently allow it to relax?
Now moving your attention down the face to the jaw.
Our jaws can get really tense,
Tight and locked without us knowing.
Can you just loosen your jaw a little bit?
Maybe move it from side to side,
Just allow your jaw to relax a little bit.
Now moving our attention down to our shoulders,
Where some of us carry the weight of the world.
But certainly when we do experience chronic stress,
Particularly if we spend a lot of time sitting down,
Our shoulders can become very tight and tense.
And this affects posture and blood flow.
So it is useful just to take our attention to our shoulders.
And if you feel any tightness or tension,
It can be really useful to lift your shoulders up as you take a deep breath in.
And then sigh out as you let your shoulders fall back down.
So let's try that.
Let's lift our shoulders up as we take a deep breath in through the nose now.
Pause for a moment,
Then sigh out.
As we let our shoulders drop back down.
Let's do that one more time.
A deep breath in through the nose as we lift our shoulders.
Hold at the top and then sigh out as we release the shoulders down.
That can be a really helpful relaxation exercise and it's something that you can do if you're sitting for long periods of time or in a confined space.
Just feel like you need to relax your body a bit.
Another place that we can hold a lot of tension and anxiety,
Fears,
Is the pit of our stomach.
So take your attention down to the pit of your stomach.
And as you feel your breath entering your chest and moving down to your stomach,
Can you feel your stomach relax a little bit,
A little bit more,
And a little bit more?
Can you let this next breath enter into a softening belly?
That's really good.
Now let's move on.
I really want you to send a little love to yourself.
Well,
In fact,
I want you to send more than a little love to yourself.
I want you bathed and cloaked in love.
But we'll start where we are.
We'll start with whatever you have the energy for today.
So why don't you place a hand on your heart?
You can move it around a bit just to let your body know that you care and that you're here and that you're connected.
Let's use the words of the loving-kindness mantra.
So either let the words wash over you or repeat after me silently or out loud to yourself.
May I be well.
And as you say these words to yourself,
Really think and feel about what it's like to feel well,
To be well.
May I be well.
May I be well.
May I be happy.
And let yourself feel what happiness feels like for you.
Let yourself connect with that feeling.
May I be happy.
May I be happy.
May I feel safe and at ease.
And as you say these words to yourself,
Really just allow yourself to connect and let go because you are safe in this moment.
May I feel safe and at ease.
May I live with ease.
May I feel and be free.
Again connecting with what freedom feels like for you.
May I feel and be free.
May I feel and be free.
And let's do those one more time.
Say it with feeling.
Really wish yourself well.
May I be well.
May I be happy.
May I feel safe and at ease.
May I feel and be free.
Well done.
Just getting into the habit and discipline of taking a few minutes out for yourself each day,
Over time,
Will help to create some space and clarity.
And you can never ever send too much love to yourself,
So be mindful of how you talk to yourself and go gently.
