Perfect as is.
Take a moment here to settle into your meditation posture,
Adjusting your spine so that it maintains its natural curve,
Letting your eyes be open or closed,
Whatever feels best for you.
Get out any last minute movements and then come to a place of stillness.
Take a few moments here and relax into yourself,
Releasing as much tension as is possible for you in this moment.
If it feels good,
Take a few clearing breaths,
In through the nose and out through the mouth,
And then returning your breath to normal.
For the next few moments in silence,
Just simply be.
Imagine a time in your life where you wish that you could have done better,
But for whatever reason you didn't.
Now ask yourself the question,
Why not?
There doesn't have to be an answer in words,
It's just simply an exploration.
Any scenario or experience will suffice.
Just take a moment to explore any time in your life that you wish that you could have done better,
But didn't,
And pose the question to yourself,
Why?
The truth is,
If you could have done better,
You would have.
Can you let that message sink in?
I'm going to say it again,
If you could have done better,
You would have.
When I say this to you,
When I convey this truth,
How does it feel?
Drop out of the thinking mind for a moment and settle into the feeling body.
If you could have done better,
You would have.
This isn't just true for you,
This is true for everyone.
Relax here,
Soften here,
Feel the experience of hearing these words.
You are doing the best you can.
Can you receive that message right now?
You are doing the best you can.
Just simply knowing something is not enough to cause change.
There are myriad circumstances well beyond your capacity to know that are responsible for your capacity to be different than you are.
In this moment,
You are doing the best you can with what you have been given.
Can you receive this message?
Relax,
Find any tension and work to soften it,
But if it doesn't soften,
Just remember you are doing the best you can in this moment.
The best thing you can do for yourself,
To feel better inside of your life,
Is accept this simple truth.
The best thing you can do for the relationships you have inside of your life is direct this truth outward.
It's not just you who are doing the best you can,
It's everyone.
I'm going to say that again because it's such an important message.
Relax,
Release any tension,
Just hear my words.
You are doing the best you can,
And so is everyone else.
It's okay if your mind wanders,
That's just an example of exactly what I'm telling you.
The mind wanders,
And you notice it,
You bring your attention back.
This is you doing the best you can.
Right now,
Millions of people around the world hate themselves because they think they should be doing better,
But that self-hate is destroying our planet.
It's based on wrong understanding.
If anyone could,
At any moment in time,
Do better,
They would,
Including you.
Rest with this,
Relax here,
Release tension,
Release the responsibility to be doing more or better or different.
Just hear my words.
You are doing the best you can,
And so is everyone else,
All of the time.
You may not believe it right now,
And that's okay.
Whether you believe it or not is an example of you doing the best you can.
We're going to practice together,
Deepening this understanding,
Taking it below the level of the thinking mind,
Deep into the feeling body.
Exhale.
Inhale,
Repeat to yourself silently,
I'm doing the best I can.
Exhale,
Silently say,
And so is everyone else,
Inhale,
All of the time.
Link the words with your breath.
Inhaling,
I am doing the best I can.
Exhaling,
And so is everyone else.
Inhaling,
All of the time.
I'm doing the best I can,
And so is everyone else,
All of the time.
Stay with this.
Stay with the words.
Stay with the breath.
Stay with any feeling that comes up.
Forgive yourself.
Forgive yourself for any time that you've pushed yourself to believe you should have done better.
Forgive yourself for any time you've beaten yourself up for thinking you could have done better.
You are doing the best you can,
And so is everyone else,
All of the time.
Stay with the words.
Stay with the breath.
Go back to the beginning of the exercise,
And remember that time in your life that you wished you could have done better,
But didn't.
Try to see yourself in that moment,
And if it's possible,
Forgive yourself.
You are doing the best you can,
And so is everyone else,
All of the time.
There's no need to fix you.
There's no need to be perfect.
You are perfect exactly as you are.
Notice any emotion that arises.
Is sadness there?
Grief?
Regret?
It's okay.
It is okay.
You are allowed to feel sad.
You are allowed to grieve.
You did the best you could.
You are always doing the best you can,
And so is everyone else,
All of the time.
If you've lost the words,
If you've lost the breath,
Don't worry.
Come back.
It's still here for you,
This message.
This message is always here for you.
You are doing the best you can,
And so is everyone else,
All of the time.
Wherever you are in the practice,
Let go.
Drop your focus on anything,
And just rest here for a few more moments.
If your eyes have been closed,
Gently open them.
Take a moment,
If possible,
To appreciate the space you are in,
For how it supports your practice.
Stay here as long as you need to,
And when you feel ready,
Go about your day.
