Welcome back.
Today I want to offer you an opportunity to see if you can re-narrate some of the old stories about how you feel about yourself.
So let's sit for a moment.
Find your body,
Find your breath.
Deep inhale through the nose,
Exhale hard through the mouth like you're blowing out candles.
Give me two more like that.
Inhale,
Exhale hard.
One more.
Coming back to normal breathing in through the nose,
Out through the nose,
Mouth is closed.
Relax the cheeks,
The jaw,
The tongue.
Drop the tongue away from the roof of the mouth.
Feel the throat open up slightly.
Feel the spine grow tall from the crown of the head reaching up to the sky and the rest of the body softens.
And in this moment offering words of gratitude for this beautiful spine,
This amazing mechanism that holds us,
Carries us.
Maybe swallowing a couple times.
As you inhale notice the chest expanding and deflating.
And bring your attention to the nostrils.
Feel the air as it hits the skin.
The air on the inhale is cooler than the air on the exhale.
Finding your stillness just for a couple breaths and seeing if you can really feel the sensation of the air around you,
The life around you.
Bring your focus to your hearing.
Noticing the sounds.
Maybe there's birds,
Maybe there's traffic,
Maybe there's complete silence.
Inhaling with a sense of gratitude for this relationship,
For this process,
For this space that we create together.
And in this next inhale noticing how it comes with ease.
And perhaps saying to ourself I take this breath with ease and with gratitude in honor of everyone that has trouble breathing.
Deep inhale.
And I want to invite you to bring an image of yourself.
Maybe as a child.
Notice what they're wearing,
Their clothes,
Their little shoes,
Or barefoot.
And approaching this child.
Notice the first look on their face when they see your face.
Maybe it's happiness,
Maybe it's surprise,
Maybe it's fear.
And without judgment just in this moment any response is welcome.
And you ask this child can I sit next to you?
And notice what they say.
And if the response is no,
Then move back a few steps and ask again.
And if they say yes,
Sit down.
And just notice how it feels to be in their presence.
Allow yourself to just create the beginnings.
The beginning of a connection to the true self.
Finding the words that you would want to hear as a child.
Maybe asking this child for another chance.
Maybe acknowledging that you've been gone for a while,
But you'd like to come back.
Allowing them plenty of space to move away from you or to move close to you.
Just knowing in your own mind whatever it is,
It's temporary.
That we right here right now are making the commitment to reconnect to our inner child even if it takes a while.
Even if it takes a few meetings or connections or reintroductions.
We're in no rush.
We're earning trust.
And we are prepared to do what it takes to earn that trust.
And noticing right here right now in this moment.
How it feels to either be accepted or rejected.
And making the commitment to yourself that it is your job to connect to yourself.
To stop rejecting yourself.
And moving away out of that image for a moment.
And coming back to the present moment.
Wherever you're sitting or laying down.
Just you and me in this moment.
And thinking of the ways that you would talk to a child that you cared for.
How you would point out their strengths.
How you would admire their qualities.
How you would praise their existence.
Allowing yourself to make a mental list of all the things that are admirable about you.
The qualities and characteristics of your highest self.
Notice if this list comes with ease or if it's challenging.
And just find compassion.
I always try to use the phrase,
Isn't this interesting?
Trying to stay away from the words like,
This is hard.
What's wrong with me?
And moving into phrases like,
Isn't this interesting?
Isn't it interesting that I find it challenging to find things that are lovable about me?
Isn't it interesting that I don't always think of the beauty in me before I think of the negativity in me?
I promise today that I'm going to give these atta girls,
Atta boys,
Good job.
Way to go.
You got that right.
That went smoothly.
I'm so grateful for this breath.
I'm so grateful for this body.
As flawed as it is,
I'm amazed at how well it works.
Even with some of the brokenness,
I'm so grateful for the experience that I've had.
How can I share this gratitude?
What energy can I carry with me as I walk into rooms or meetings or Zoom calls?
What energy can I bring with me as I prepare food or take care of my animals or my children or my loved ones?
Deep breath.
Slow extended exhale.
Take your time.
Pay attention.
Start to bring feeling back into your fingers,
Your toes.
Maybe lick your lips,
Swallow a couple times,
Move your shoulders.
Placing hands on heart or on your cheeks or even on the top of your head.
And making the commitment one breath at a time to speak lovingly to ourselves.
One breath at a time.
Until next time,
Have a beautiful day.
