Hi there,
Thank you for joining today.
I'm so happy to have you here listening.
My name is Susan Guttridge,
And in this practice,
Our focus is on fostering intentionality with the change we desire in ourselves.
I hope you have a bit of space,
Of peace and quiet,
Away from the busyness of your day.
Whether you are seated or laying down,
Take a moment to get comfortable.
Shift your body if needed.
If you'd like,
And if it's safe to do so,
Let your eyes drift closed.
And now,
Bring your attention to your breath.
During these practices,
It is so powerful to breathe together.
When we do so,
We're not only deepening our breath to anchor in the relaxation response,
We're also synchronizing our breath.
And by doing so,
We're connecting on a deeper neurological level.
You may have heard something called mirror neurons.
I tend to explain these as our brain's way of registering and reflecting the actions and emotions of those around us.
When we see someone who's breathing deeply,
Our mirror neurons fire in a way that helps us feel as though we're performing that action ourselves.
This means that as we breathe together,
Our brains and bodies begin to resonate in harmony.
Inhaling together.
Exhaling together.
We create a shared rhythm.
It's as if we're reflecting and reinforcing each other's calm,
Each other's relaxation.
This process of synchronized breathing helps us attune to one another,
Promoting feelings of connection.
In this space,
We are not alone.
Our breath is flowing together,
Supporting each other,
Just as our mirror neurons are responding to each other's presence.
So,
As you inhale now,
Feel the presence of those breathing alongside you,
Even if we're not in the same physical space.
Inhaling in together,
And exhaling out together.
Release any sense of separation.
Let yourself feel grounded in this moment of shared,
Collective breath.
Maintaining that deep breathing,
There's a poem I'm going to read to you,
Which will open our topic for today.
Change.
Written by Portia Nelson in her book There's a Hole in My Sidewalk,
This poem is a beautiful metaphor for personal growth,
Self-awareness,
And the process of change.
It highlights the journey from unconscious behaviors to conscious,
Intentional action.
The poem illustrates how people often repeat the same or similar mistakes in life before recognizing recurrent themes,
Embracing change,
And breaking old habits.
Before I give too much away,
I'll read the poem.
Autobiography in 5 Short Chapters by Portia Nelson Chapter 1.
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost.
I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes me forever to find a way out.
Chapter 2.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I'm in the same place.
But it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter 3.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it there.
I still fall in.
It's a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.
Chapter 4.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
Chapter 5.
I walk down another street.
Chapter 6.
I walk down another street.
When talking about self-awareness and change,
I've long felt that Nelson's poem speaks so eloquently to the process of transformation.
It speaks to the ways we move through life,
The patterns we fall into,
And how we respond to those patterns.
At first,
We might not even be aware of them.
We fall into the same habits,
The same holes in the sidewalk,
And we may feel powerless.
And then,
Over time,
We begin to notice.
As our self-awareness deepens,
We start to recognize the choices we are making,
Even in those situations where they feel automatic at first.
Self-awareness is the first step towards our desired change.
It allows us to see our patterns and behaviors clearly,
Without judgment.
We begin to notice when we're about to fall into an old habit,
And eventually,
We learn how to step around it.
As we foster a habit of mindfulness,
We cultivate the ability to pause,
To notice our thoughts,
Emotions,
And actions,
To make that which is unconscious conscious,
And to choose a different path.
If you have your journal close by,
Pull it out now.
I invite you to take a moment to reflect on areas of your life where you may feel stuck,
Or find yourself repeating the same patterns.
What are the holes you encounter?
How do they impact you?
Feel free to pause here for a longer self-reflection,
Or return to your note a little later.
Any time we do this type of work,
Of deepening self-awareness,
It is so important we do so hand in hand with self-compassion,
The process of change,
Of transformation,
Of growth,
Of personal evolution.
It's not about blaming ourselves for old conditioning,
Patterns,
Or old habits that up.
Rather,
It's about becoming conscious of those patterns,
Understanding why they exist,
And gently guiding ourselves towards something different.
Personal growth is possible,
And every step toward it,
No matter how small,
Is so very empowering.
As we move forward,
We develop strength,
Resilience,
And the presence of mind,
The capacity to choose a new direction,
One that aligns with our values,
Our well-being,
And our goals.
We must remember to pause,
To notice those small steps forward.
I invite you now to imagine yourself standing at the cusp of chapter 5 in the story of your life.
To use the imagery of the poem,
What does your new street look like?
What does your new street represent?
How does it feel to walk with confidence,
Avoiding those old,
Familiar pitfalls?
Picture yourself walking along the street,
Moving through life with clarity,
Mindfulness,
And intention.
In your new chapter,
What do you notice about yourself?
How would you like to see yourself responding to challenges when they come your way?
As you walk down your new street,
What strengths are there within you?
Sit with this image of yourself walking down your new street,
And as you do,
Invite in self-compassion,
Patience.
This is,
After all,
A journey of awareness,
Of growth,
And of choosing the path that brings you peace,
Joy,
And fulfillment.
Place a hand on your heart,
Symbolic of anchoring your new chapter in,
And the personal transformation it represents.
As we start to wrap up our practice today,
Bring your awareness to your breath,
Our shared,
Collective breath.
As we start to wrap up our practice today,
Bring your awareness to your breath,
Our shared,
Collective breath.
Shift your body once again to connect with this present moment and the room around you.
Wiggle your fingers and toes,
And when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes if they had been closed,
Adjusting to the light around you.
Thank you for taking this time to foster intention within yourself.
As you move through the rest of your day,
Carry with you the knowledge that your journey toward growth and change continues in every moment and in all you do.
Go forward in your new chapter with grace,
Kindness,
And renewed intention.
Be well.
