Hello and welcome to this mindfulness track,
Focusing on the idea of compulsive daydreaming.
So first of all,
It's important to notice,
To recognize that everybody daydreams.
It's often conceived as a way for our mind to process information and also to escape momentarily from the present.
Daydreaming however can become a problem if the desire to daydream interferes with getting through your everyday life.
You find yourself daydreaming for longer than you intended or if you find yourself avoiding things you need to be getting done because of daydreaming,
Then it's probably time to try to do something constructive about your daydreaming.
And this mindfulness track is an attempt to help you to focus on the present and the here and now,
And to recognize when the urge to daydream takes hold,
And to decide to do things differently.
So we're going to begin by finding a quiet comfortable space where you won't be interrupted,
And you can sit down or lie down and take a few deep breaths,
Allowing your body to relax.
A good way to do this is to breathe in through the nose for a count of four,
Hold for two,
And breathe out slowly through the mouth for a count of six.
Repeat that a couple of times,
And then let your breathing return to its normal rhythm.
But focus on your breath,
Pay attention to it,
Feel the air as it enters and leaves your body.
Notice how and where you feel the breath in your nose,
Your throat,
Your chest,
Your stomach.
Spend a moment just focusing your present day attention on your breathing.
And as you do this,
Try to let go of any thoughts or feelings that come up.
You don't need to judge yourself harshly for having thoughts or feelings,
Just note that they're there,
But let them go.
And now bring your awareness to your body,
Going to scan your body from head to toe,
Noticing any areas of tension or discomfort.
And if you can,
You can imagine breathing into those areas,
And then as you release your breath,
You can imagine those areas softening and relaxing.
And again,
Notice if you have thoughts or feelings,
You can just note that you've had them and gently bring your attention back.
As you scan through your body.
Now you're going to bring your attention to your senses.
So if you've had your eyes closed,
You can open them for a moment.
Focus on what you see around you.
And then when you've closed your eyes again,
Focus on any physical sensations of touch,
The weight of your body,
The air on your face,
And then anything that you can smell or taste,
And then sounds that you can hear.
You might be able to hear birdsong in the background of this recording,
For example.
Fully immerse yourself in these physical sensations here and now.
And if you find your mind wandering,
Once again,
Just note that it has,
And bring your attention back to your physical sensations.
Now I'd like you to bring your attention to a positive memory from your own life,
A real event that you experienced and felt good about.
Fully immerse yourself in this image.
Try to take in all the details,
All the sensations,
And notice any emotions that arise.
Stay with them.
Feel them.
Don't judge them or analyze them.
Don't try to make them right or wrong.
Just sit with this memory,
This positive memory,
And the feelings it generates.
And then going to express some self-compassion.
You can repeat a positive affirmation to yourself,
Such as,
I am deserving of love and kindness,
Or I am capable of overcoming challenges.
Repeat the phrase that you chose three or four times,
Allowing the words to sink in,
Allowing yourself to feel them in your body.
And finally,
We're going to set an intention for the day.
Choose a positive affirmation or a phrase that resonates with you,
And visualize yourself embodying this intention throughout the day.
When you're ready,
You can take a deep breath,
Slowly open your eyes,
And bring your mindfulness practice into the present moment.
You can return to this practice whenever you feel yourself getting caught up in daydreaming or thinking about daydreaming.
In fact,
At any time during the day,
When you recognize yourself daydreaming or thinking about daydreaming,
You can gently bring your awareness to the present moment,
Whether that's your breath,
Whether that's sensations in your body.
And then remember that it's okay to have those thoughts and emotions,
But that you don't have to engage with them.
You can bring your attention back to the present moment in that way.
Remember,
Mindfulness is a practice.
It takes time and patience to develop.
If you find that you're struggling with it,
Just be gentle with yourself and keep practicing.
Over time,
You might well find that mindfulness helps you to become more aware of your daydreaming,
Your desire to daydream,
And it might help you be better able to manage it.
Have a peaceful day.
