Hello and welcome.
My name is Julie and I'm glad you've joined us for a parent break.
If your eyes are open,
I invite you to close them.
Let's settle into our space and take two breaths together to move from the outside inward.
We'll inhale,
Float,
And release.
Inhale,
Float,
And release.
Today we're going to focus on support for ourselves.
We know that life is built of ups and downs.
Things can feel like they're going our way and then we may hesitate or stumble and sometimes even fall.
The greatest resource for any of us as we fall ever downward is a net.
Falling is hard,
Crashing down is harder,
And a net can soften the fall and help us to bounce back.
We all need a net to catch us when we fall,
So we need to build a net of people.
Today we're going to take a look at that net and begin the process of getting it ready for our next fall.
Now maybe you know a lot of people and feel like you've got a firm net in place.
You can visualize the people who are there to support you.
But perhaps your net feels like it might have a few holes in it or you can't even remember where you put your net.
Let's start considering how to build a support network for ourselves.
This net or network is made up of all kinds of people.
Some may be people you pay to look after your kids or your home.
Some may be professionals who support your mental or physical health.
Others are friends who have known you for a long time.
You can call them or text them and know that they'll cheer you when you're down.
It's great to have a few people who know the real you,
The human being you really are,
And they still want to hang out with you.
If your net or network feels like it has a few holes,
That's okay,
And it's good to recognize that that's where you are.
What elements are missing?
Once we know that,
We can start to consider who might be a good fit for our network.
The first step in building new friends is opening our eyes to what or who we need and then looking around to see where we might find them.
Maybe they're right here in the parent break community or on the playground where you pick up your kids from school.
Maybe you work with them,
Or maybe they live on your block.
Let's take a deep breath,
Inhaling and exhaling.
I invite you to visualize a net or network of people who are there to support you.
You might not be able to see every face.
Let's just begin to set the intention of that network of support.
We're all connected.
We can build strong relationships with our friends,
Colleagues,
And others around us.
We can look for the light in every person.
Who are they?
What makes them tick?
How can we support them?
It feels good to help others,
And it feels good to be able to call these people friends and know that they are here to help us as well.
If you care to join me in the following affirmation,
Please do.
I am building a network of people to catch me when I fall.
I am grateful for those around me,
That I can help them,
And that they are there to help me.
I am building a network of people to catch me when I fall.
I am grateful for those around me,
That I can help them,
And that they are there to help me.
Let's take two more breaths together,
And then we'll head back into the rest of our day.
We'll inhale,
Float,
And release.
Inhale,
Float,
And release.
If you're joining us live in Parent Break,
We'll put eight minutes on the clock and get ready for some private journaling.
And if you're catching us in a replay on Insight Timer,
I encourage you to do the same.
Thank you for joining me for another Parent Break.
