Whether you're worried about your health or the health of loved ones,
Trying to navigate sudden unemployment,
Or wondering what happens next in the face of uncertainty,
You're not alone.
As things develop during this COVID-19 pandemic,
There's one thing just about everyone has in common,
A huge increase in anxiety.
We are living in challenging times.
Many people have trouble coping when any new virus or pandemic strikes.
But rest assured,
There are ways to ease the anxiety and the fear that follows.
Knowing how to gently manage your anxiety when it comes to something like the coronavirus can help you stay calm in the storm.
While there are practical steps that you can take,
Such as social distancing,
Washing your hands,
Self-isolating,
One of the best things you can do to calm those fears is to engage in a regular practice of looking within.
Now the fear of becoming ill itself can really knock you off your feet.
It's normal to experience a wide range of emotions in the wake of this fear.
However,
You can learn to manage the feelings and still live a calm life.
Dealing with a new health pandemic,
Such as this coronavirus,
Can feel like an emotional roller coaster.
This is normal.
Even if you aren't experiencing any other stressful life events during this time,
It can be devastating to deal with this kind of crisis.
One strategy that does work is learning how to reconnect your mind and body in a positive way.
The truth is that your positive thoughts,
Feelings and emotions have a direct impact on your ability to feel good.
The more you focus on the positive,
The better you will be able to cope during harder times.
So let's manage these fears together to help you deal with any anxiety that comes from them.
Now it's said that true healing occurs when you can let your fears go and release them.
Release anything and everything that isn't working towards your highest good.
The better you feel,
The more you will heal.
It's as simple as that.
Your DNA is influenced by your thoughts and feelings.
So whatever you envision,
Your mind has a direct impact on your body.
Relaxing your mind and body can help you to develop a profound understanding of the challenges you're now facing as you find the courage,
The inspiration and the determination to get through this difficult time.
You are far from helpless to influence how things turn out for you.
When you take the time to go within,
Your body becomes measurably healthier,
Much less stressed.
Research has shown that positive thoughts have an impact on the cells inside your body.
So by focusing on the things that make you feel good,
You can help manage your fears.
So I'd like you to find a comfortable place.
Settle yourself down.
Make sure you're feeling comfortable,
Safe and sound.
I'd like you,
If you haven't already,
To close your eyes down,
To begin breathing in and out of your body.
Take the time to relax.
I'd like you to close your eyes down,
To begin breathing slowly and calmly.
I'd like you,
If you haven't already,
To close your eyes down,
To begin breathing slowly and calmly,
Any tension,
Any stress,
Any negativity.
Breathing in calm positivity,
Exhaling and letting go of stress.
Allowing yourself,
After each breath,
To become more and more comfortably relaxed.
Because you are now ready,
Ready to face this new pandemic one moment at a time,
One step at a time,
You're determined to face each new challenge with determination,
Motivation.
You can learn from challenges and you can get through this.
During times like these,
It becomes vitally important to practice a simple pause.
Allowing things to slow down.
Nothing is permanent.
The one thing we can all count on is change.
Life changes.
We can move through difficult circumstances,
Through the stress,
Through the fear,
By breathing calmly and learning how to let that stuff go.
As you continue to relax with me here and now,
Try and let your thoughts become like clouds,
Just floating,
Coming and going across the sky.
Feel that gentle pull of gravity as your body rests right there.
Perhaps you can feel the earth or a surface beneath you offering its support.
A simple strategy that you can undertake during these difficult times is to understand what you can and cannot control.
From this moment on,
Become aware of what you can control.
Now there are some things we cannot control,
Such as changing how other people react,
Or how long a pandemic will last,
Or the actions of other people.
We also can't predict what might happen now or in the future,
But from now on,
You can become focused solely on the things you can control.
And you can control how you perceive this pandemic,
And you can control how you react to situations that you're facing.
From now on,
You can simply follow the recommendations of those experts and make sure and observe all the social distancing guidelines.
You can take steps to stay away from high traffic places.
You can self isolate,
Make sure your home and your environment are clean and sanitized.
And it's also important to maintain a positive mental outlook,
Because those who remain positive are much better equipped to deal with healing.
During this period of time,
You can focus on limiting your social media exposure.
Perhaps even how much time you spend watching the news.
Just limit that time.
Watching too much news or engaging in too much social media can cause you to focus too much on negative events.
So the best approach is to simply limit the negative things to find some fun things to do.
Digesting negative things like the news can bring up all those negative feelings from within,
So it is best to limit the exposure.
Your emotions may sway back and forth.
You may feel calm one day,
Anxious the next.
This is normal.
But know now that from this moment on,
You can begin to develop those positive coping strategies as you face this pandemic head-on,
Because you're becoming more empowered,
Stronger.
If you feel down,
Reach out to friends,
Family,
Colleagues.
Focus on the positive.
There is already too much negativity in this world.
So from now on,
Focus on the good things.
Reach out.
Use technology.
Reach out to friends and family.
Connect with people.
Minimize that stress.
Begin to let go of any unnecessary obligations.
It's important to now focus on those things that make you feel good.
Now that you feel calm and relaxed in this moment,
It's time to shift your focus.
And a great way to do that is by taking a moment,
Just taking a moment to focus on something positive.
To focus on warm,
Happy memories.
By taking a moment to practice this time out,
This pause,
You can find that strength within to sail through any storm.
So right now I would like you to begin to imagine,
Right here in your mind,
I want you to begin to imagine,
To visualize,
To get a sense that you are traveling to your own private sanctuary,
Right now.
This could be thought of as a safe place.
A place where you can go to release all of your fears,
To release any negativity,
To release all of your doubts.
A place you can go to just feel good.
What kind of place do you imagine?
And as you allow yourself to think and create this wonderful place,
Perhaps you can find yourself walking along a pathway,
Out in the countryside,
Somewhere,
Because you're allowed to,
Here in your mind.
Perhaps you can hear the sound of birds singing their gentle songs.
Perhaps you can feel a cool breeze across your skin.
You might gaze upwards,
Towards the sky,
Noticing trees and how they stand out against the blue of a sky.
You may see a morning sun peeping through the branches,
Or it may be evening.
A simple quiet day.
You can let everything else go now.
As you walk along this path,
Your feet connect with the ground beneath you,
Into this present moment.
The air might smell sweet,
The sky a calm blue.
This is a place where you can feel safe,
Protected from the rest of the world.
As you continue to walk along this path,
You might notice a small building up ahead,
Just off the path.
This small building,
It's the perfect size for you to rest in,
To reflect in,
To perhaps sit down and meditate in.
This is your private sanctuary,
A place where you can go to rest,
To release all of those fears.
And as you approach this small building,
You might decide to open the door,
To see what's inside.
And as you open that door,
You feel a sense of peace,
Because you see a beautiful,
Clean space.
You instantly notice a comforting smell in the air,
Invigorating,
Refreshing.
And you might imagine that there's a large cushion in the middle of the floor in front of you,
The perfect size to rest upon.
You look around the room a little more,
And begin to notice how two of those walls have a lovely window.
And if the Sun is shining,
You can now notice how it can shine through the windows,
As the breeze continues to softly blow,
Cooling the room to a comfortable temperature.
The room is bright and clean,
And you feel this sense of happiness,
A joy in this moment as you enter this space.
You look around the room,
Notice dozens of white candles lined up,
Perhaps on shelves,
Some on the floor.
They're all lit,
And you feel peaceful,
Calm and balanced.
So you take your seat on that cushion,
Settling yourself into a comfortable position and breathing deeply,
Centering your mind.
You feel comfortable,
Peaceful,
Right here in this private place.
You feel safe,
Secure,
Isolated from the world.
This is your place,
Your safe place,
Your happy place.
You begin to think,
As you sit there,
About some of your happiest memories,
Some of those funny moments from life.
And as you recall those happy memories and funny moments,
It makes you smile.
As you breathe deeply,
You feel this warm sense of relaxation beginning to take over,
Almost as if you'd taken a happy pill.
And within just a few moments,
You begin to notice those subtle changes,
As you feel your body relaxing even more.
You allow yourself to feel calm and comfortable,
Much happier now you're recalling those happy moments,
Those funny times.
These good feelings deep down inside flow through your body,
Giving you a warm sensation.
It reminds you of the relaxing and dreamy sensation that you might feel in the state right before you go into the first stage of sleep.
It's a lovely feeling,
A warm feeling of relaxation just flowing softly through you,
A sense of security and peace.
And you begin to forget about everything you may have been concerned about before you started on this journey.
If you had to identify this feeling,
You would probably say that it feels close to the rush of an intense wave of relaxation rolling through you,
Bringing with it good feelings and pleasure.
With each breath,
You become more and more peaceful.
Time feels like it's slowing down.
It feels as if you're wrapped in the warmest blanket you've ever felt.
So peaceful,
Feeling loved and protected.
And these amazing feelings,
They remind you of those happy times.
You may think back to a time in your life,
A time when you felt your best,
A time in which you measure your standard of happiness.
Perhaps this might be a favorite day or an amazing vacation.
Maybe a happy childhood memory.
How about your first true love?
All the good feelings and any good feelings from those happy moments are allowed to come flooding back now.
And they're all there,
Somehow wrapped up into one amazing sensation.
You feel like someone's giving you a warm hug.
As you relax in this very safe and secure place,
Your body naturally releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins.
Feel-good chemicals.
It's a warm,
Pleasant feeling and you feel a sense of peace and balance with each deep breath.
Feeling this surge of calm,
Comfort.
This pleasure that seems to radiate,
Starting from your abdomen.
A warmth which spreads outwards throughout your body,
Like a pebble dropped into a still pond.
Waves of calm,
Comfortable feelings rippling outwards.
Tranquility flowing through you as you allow yourself to relax here for what seems like hours.
And the after effects of this calmness and this comfort may last for several days,
Perhaps even weeks.
The effects are accumulative so the more you relax here,
The longer and faster it works.
Sooner or later you'll find yourself in a calm and relaxed state,
For most if not all of the time.
You now feel a profound sense of control,
A sense of well-being right now.
And this euphoric sense of comfort gradually subsides into a dreamy,
Relaxed state of peace and contentment.
As you begin to understand something,
You begin to understand that you,
And only you,
Are in control of your thoughts and feelings.
You don't have to allow yourself to get absorbed in every negative event that comes along.
You can be aware,
But cautiously observe.
You can choose to focus on other things.
You can now go within and return to this happy place as often as you need.
And those endorphins,
Those feel-good chemicals that you're activating right now in this moment,
They're entering into your bloodstream,
Giving you essentially the same rush as the most powerful medication in the world,
Allowing you to feel healthy,
Incredible and blissful.
Feeling completely at ease right now,
Warm and rested.
And your mind just keeps drifting back to a time in life when you felt really good,
Really happy.
You think of that special moment,
Perhaps a special day,
Or an event like a celebration.
Maybe even a simple time when you accomplished something great.
You allow yourself to think back to that moment,
To how happy you felt.
Take that moment now.
Take a moment to feel that joy and pleasure.
And whenever you feel any anxiety creeping its way slowly back up,
You can return to the calm comfort of these happy moments.
To help you gain back a sense of control,
Because you are always in control of how you feel and how you react.
It's important for you to know,
To understand that you can choose to be non-reactive as well.
You can stay calm and centered.
The truth is you have all of the skills and the resources that you need to influence how you feel.
This pandemic scare will never stop you from doing what you really want to do.
It will never stop you from allowing yourself to feel happier and more comfortable,
Because you have the skills to be able to feel relaxed and comfortable whenever you wish.
You have control over how you feel right now in this moment,
And how you will feel tomorrow and beyond.
Your brain is capable of automatically interrupting those unhelpful thoughts,
Stopping them in their tracks,
And then refocusing on the thoughts that are reassuring,
More comforting.
You have the ability to override any feelings of panic whenever you like,
By simply focusing on and thinking about happier thoughts and memories.
Your brain notices which emotions are the loudest,
So whenever you find the need,
You can simply override these unpleasant sensations by focusing on comforting thoughts.
You're now training your mind to focus on pleasant sensations,
Sending a message to your brain to intensify this feeling of comfort,
As you finally manage to magnify this feeling of comfort.
The more you focus on these comfortable feelings,
The more relaxed you become,
And the more your brain receives these feelings,
And the more it intensifies these good feelings,
As your brain can now automatically filter out negative feelings,
Or feelings of panic and despair,
And so allowing you to focus on good feelings,
Those pleasant sensations instead.
You can become absorbed in these good feelings,
Lock them deep down,
Tuning out of any unpleasant thoughts,
Any unpleasant moments,
Any unpleasant feelings of anxiety,
Because today you have a powerful new tool within.
The more you focus on these pleasant thoughts,
The better you feel,
The better you feel,
The more these pleasant feelings increase.
And every time you practice this technique,
And return to this moment,
Your safe place,
These wonderful feelings and thoughts and sensations of comfort will become a permanent part within your life,
Within the fiber of your being.
These feelings of comfort will increase more and more,
For longer spans of time,
Every time you reinforce this positivity.
And as a result on focusing on peaceful happy things,
Your immune system is now strengthening,
Ramping up,
Your immune system becomes stronger.
As a matter of fact,
That if you do happen to catch anything,
Your body can process through this,
With a new strength within.
You are healthy,
You are strong,
You feel vibrant and robust,
Your body is smart,
And your body can naturally fend off imbalances that it doesn't need.
This is your superpower now,
So focus on how good you feel now.
Breathe it all in,
Enjoy the peace and the calm,
And give thanks to your body for feeling so strong,
Just as you can thank your mind and body right now.
Quite suddenly you realize that you can rest easily,
Knowing that you are safe and well.
Realize now that every day of your life is precious,
So live each moment to the fullest,
Appreciate each moment to the fullest.
This is who you are now.
Let that stress,
That pressure,
And that anxiety simply roll away as you focus on pleasant,
Happy thoughts.
Allow yourself one more moment to feel this sense of happiness,
Comfort and joy.
Allow yourself to know now that these words,
These suggestions,
And this moment is now firmly embedded deep inside your mind,
Where these positive thoughts will grow stronger and stronger every day.
I'm going to count from one to five,
And as I count from one to five you can allow yourself to gradually awaken,
Feeling refreshed,
Perhaps even invigorated.
Let's start with number one,
Allowing yourself to slowly drift back,
As if gradually awakening from a dream.
Two,
Your thoughts gently coming back to the surface.
Three,
Drifting back up slowly,
Sensations returning,
As you take another moment to remember this experience.
Four,
Drifting up a little further,
Realizing how good you feel right now.
And five,
Gently opening those eyes,
Wide awake,
Eyes open,
Feeling good.
Welcome back.
