Ending Your Day

De-stress as you celebrate the joys, and leave behind the cares, of today’s work. This calming practice is designed specifically with the needs of psychotherapists in mind, as this meditation affirms gratitude for the meaningful work of therapists, while also supporting a boundary to know that once leaving work, you've done enough for today. This practice however, can be for any indiviudal in the work force, as this practice encourages you to take just 5 minutes to mark the transition at the end of your workday. This practice aims to help protect you against burn-out or secondary trauma that can result from continuing to focus after hours on the day's challenges.

Transcript

Welcome to this therapist refresh meditation for ending your day.

Congratulations!

Your work is done for today.

Let's take a few moments to help you reflect and to take stock,

To honor what has transpired,

And to leave behind or for another day what you can.

First,

Linger your awareness on any highlights of the day you'd like to celebrate.

Does a moment of joy or playfulness come to mind or bring a smile to your face?

Or is there a memory of healing or growth that inspires you?

Focus on any image,

Emotion,

Or sensation that arises.

And if you'd like to do so,

Offer a gesture of gratitude.

Perhaps hands in prayer position at your heart center or a gentle bow of your head to appreciate what has been gratifying,

Heartwarming,

Or affirming.

Next,

Bring your awareness to any challenges or frustrations of the day that may still preoccupy you.

Let them rise to the surface.

Do you recall discomfort or suffering that might be hard to bear?

Do you hear stinging words or replay painful interactions in your mind?

Do you feel regret about a missed opportunity for connection or repair?

Simply observe how you are holding these challenges inside you.

With any tension in your body,

With critical thoughts or judgments,

With painful emotions.

To the extent that you can,

Be with whatever is here with kindness and maybe even an affectionate smile as you might do for a client or a best friend.

Acknowledge what is here for you,

But now prepare to let it go.

And if you'd like to do so,

Place one hand and a fist on your heart and allow your other hand to rest atop it.

Invite all of the sensations,

Emotions,

Or thoughts of the day to be balled up into your fist as if your fist could magnetically draw them from wherever they reside inside you.

And as your next breath rises,

Hold it.

And then with your exhale,

Slowly release and open your hands and let your arms fall to your sides.

Let it go.

Take in another deep breath and blow it away slowly.

You've done enough for today.

Let it go.

You've done enough for today.

Let it go.

You've done enough for today.

Let it go.

And now finally,

Turn your attention to what lies ahead.

See it and feel it take shape.

We wish you good healing.

Reviews

A really simple honest and lovely way to end a day.

I am not a therapist however, I am a life coach, and a fitness personal trainer. I do most of my work online and work for a company that right now is in dire straits. As I worked to venture out into my own fitness realm… Who is struggling so much with all these ever changing things that are happening on a daily basis … And at all hours, including 7 o’clock in the evening I am so burnt out. I am dealing with my father‘s death of a few months ago and have 500 customers/clients… And I log off and set that boundary. However, I feel like sometimes this company has no respect for us as humans. So right now I feel stuck so as I sat here tonight, I played your meditation to let go of the last minute things that were dropping at 7 o’clock in the evening. No one‘s house was burning down, it was not life altering or life-changing…, so thank you. I took a deep breath and now I let the day end.

Thank you for sharing this calming meditation a good way to release at the end of the day just letting go ☺️🙏✨❤️

Brilliant and effective technique with the balled up fist thank you.

Thank you 🙏
Very helpful, a nice way to end the day,

Ending Your Day was an amazing experience to practice on my mat. I always had stressed myself disappointing myself and not giving myself the grace and respect I deserve including not doing enough for myself. I get caught up in productivity but not enough of taking care of my wellbeing. Letting go for me is hard but with this practice, I can come back whenever I just want to let everything go.

An excellent way to end the work day … simple, quick and effective. I’ll definitely add this to my after-work routine🖤

This is my favorite end of workday meditation so far!

I love the part where you take all your negative thoughts into your fist and release it, and the "you've done enough for today, let it go". Amazing, short and sweet, effective. Thank you very much!

Wonderful practice! Thank you for sharing this with us here. I see you and the light within you. Be well. 🤲🏻💖🤲🏻

I needed this soooo much today. Thank you so very much 🙏🏻

Thank you so much for the beautiful space this session allowed. 🙏🏻🕯

Love, love, love this! Doing community mental health, I never feel like my work is done. Hearing the repetition towards the end was like balm for my soul. Thank you! This is going to be a daily practice after work before re-engaging with my family. 💗💜💖

Phenomenal! Just what I needed after a day at work! Thank you.

Gorgeous way to end the day. I find this really helpful even though I am not a therapist

Great way to end a long day of being present and helping to heal others. Thank you 🌺🌸🌼🌻🌹🌷

Excellent thank you what I needed at the right time

I loved this, it was exactly what o needed tonight. Many thanks.

Very beneficial. Thank you. Would welcome longer therapist-specific offerings. :-)

Short, restorative and helpful for me as a lone therapist working from home in lockdown. Many thanks!