Welcome to today's meditation.
My name is Salome and I'm going to get you through a meditation on self-esteem today.
Because we all have days where self-esteem dips a little and everything feels a little heavier than it should.
Trust me,
I've been in that place many times.
When that happens,
I personally find it helpful to come back to myself,
Slowly without pressure,
And recenter my attention on the present moment.
That simple shift often creates just a bit more space to breathe.
Before we start,
You might want to dim the lights,
Maybe light a candle if that helps you feel more grounded.
And more importantly,
Give yourself permission to settle in.
Nothing to perform,
Nothing to achieve.
Okay,
Let's begin.
Find a comfortable position.
Sitting or laying down,
Whatever works best for you today.
Let your hands rest naturally wherever they land.
Take a slow breath in,
And a long breath out.
Say to yourself,
I'm here,
And I'm listening.
Let your shoulders drop just a bit.
If you're seated,
Keep your spine elevated,
But relaxed.
Let your belly be soft,
Taking all the space it needs on your inhales.
Feel the weight of your body being supported,
By the chair,
The floor,
Whatever is beneath you.
You don't need to do anything right now.
You can let yourself be held by gravity.
We'll start with a simple breath pattern.
Inhale for 4,
Hold for 2,
And exhale for 6.
The longer exhale helps the body settle.
It shifts the body from a fight or flight to a rest and digest mode.
I'll guide you through the first 3 rounds.
Start by taking an inhale through your nose,
And an exhale out your nose.
Inhale 2,
3,
4,
Hold 1,
2,
Exhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Inhale 2,
3,
4,
Hold 1,
2,
Exhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Inhale 2,
3,
4,
Hold 1,
2,
Exhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Repeat 2 or 3 more times at your own pace.
And come back to a more natural breathing,
In and out of your nose.
Today might feel heavy or uncertain.
Low confidence often comes with the sense that something is wrong with you.
But there's nothing wrong with you.
It's okay to feel tired,
Overwhelmed or unsure.
You're a human being moving through life.
Your purpose isn't to be happy all the time.
Your purpose in life is to feel.
Let's make space for that without needing to fix anything.
Bring your attention to the area around your chest and your ribs where your breath moves.
Notice the subtle rise and fall.
You might want to place your hands on your ribs and feel this even deeper.
Notice how,
Even if your mind is noisy or critical,
Your breath keeps showing up for you.
Steady and reliable.
Shift attention to your jaw.
Soften it a little more if you can.
And then let your hands rest,
Wherever they are,
With no effort.
Tune in with your inner strength.
Picture it as a tree inside of you.
Visualize the roots of that tree,
Deeply rooted in your lower belly,
Unmovable.
Visualize its strong and steady trunk in your center.
And its branches flowing in your chest and your arms.
This very strong and steady tree has been here since you were little.
It's a part of you that has gotten you through every hard day so far.
Sense the strength of that tree.
See where you feel it.
Where does it show in your body?
Maybe it's in your chest,
Maybe it's in your belly.
Let your breath land there.
With each inhale,
Feel that sense of inner strength growing.
And on each exhale,
Soften any tension.
When your inner critic speaks louder than usual,
You don't have to agree with it.
You can notice it and let it be.
But instead,
Shift your focus to this inner power.
The quieter voice underneath the loud noise.
The one that knows how strong you are and that wants you to keep going.
Say to yourself,
I deserve love and compassion from myself.
Not as an affirmation,
But simply something that you're allowed to think.
I deserve love and compassion from myself.
Let the words settle.
If they feel true,
Good.
If they don't,
Just let them exist for now.
I deserve love and compassion from myself.
Think of one thing,
Just one thing,
That you've gone through before that wasn't easy.
It can be something big or something very small.
Let that memory remind you that your strength isn't loud or dramatic.
It's often quiet,
But persistent.
And you have it,
Even today.
Shift your attention back to your steady breath.
Inhale and exhale without any specific pattern,
Just natural breathing.
Feel your feet,
Your legs.
Your belly,
Your chest.
Your arms.
Your face.
Feel yourself arriving back in your body.
Maybe introduce some movement,
Wiggle your toes and your fingers.
Take one last deep breath in.
And a long breath out.
Thank you so much for joining.
I'm so proud of you.
And let's do that again soon.
Lots of love.
