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This is a transcript from episode #37 of the Let the Verse Flow Podcast.
Let’s settle into our seat or sitting position, we have just woken up so our body may be a little stiff. Let’s not push it in any way right now, but allow it to assume a sitting posture that feels comfortable and easeful as we shake off the remnants of sleep. Let’s check in with our breath now, feel the rise and fall of the belly, the air at the nose, just noticing it, not trying to change it or control its pattern. We are observing our breath with acceptance and gratitude. It knows just what to do to support all our life-giving organs and systems. Let’s watch as that breath cycles through and remember that we are sustained by its presence. It gives us the oxygen we need to move forward with our day. Let’s be present with a few of these breaths.
Now that we have honored the body by letting it settle into a comfortable posture and have given our first thanks of the day to our life-giving breath, let’s explore our gratitude further. Let’s acknowledge that this new day is a blank slate, and as we don’t know what will happen as the day unfolds, the only thing we are certain about is this moment. This moment holds the essence of our lives, and as we sit comfortably and watch our amazing breath support us, we can feel grateful for this new day.
Morning Ritual: Reflect on Gratitude
What are we grateful for this morning?
What has sustained us and made us feel whole, free, cared for, or excited?
It could be a friend or partner who offers us friendship and love, an experience that brings us joy, or a calmness and sense of peace that allows us to feel supported and anchored. Whatever it is, take a few moments to acknowledge three things that you are grateful for.
Right now, picture those three things in your mind and take the next moments to express your gratitude for them. Slowly say I am grateful for (and fill in the rest) while you take in that gratitude and feel it deep in your heart. Let’s do that three times now.
You should feel a bit more peaceful having expressed your gratitude. You are not alone and you are connected to wonderful people, experiences, and accomplishments in your life. We want to hold this gratitude and this peaceful moment and bring it into our day.
Now, let's set an intention for this morning routine. An intention to do two things with the gift of this new day – to have an open and positive mindset about what lies ahead and to be mindful of this moment right here, right now. We don’t have to do anything else right now, we are letting our first morning moments unfold and breathing into a calm relaxed state so that we can accept this intention. We can accept that there is the possibility of good times and meaningful experiences to be had on this particular day.
To bring life to that acceptance and intention, we should affirm it. We can speak it into existence and guide our mind and body to look for the positive in our day. We can watch our day and note when a positive moment made things feel more easeful or happy. A positive mindset has the potential to energize our day. It helps us bounce back from setbacks or face challenges by giving us a choice to be more present for the possibilities that lay ahead, while not attaching to the things that haven’t gone well. There will always be both, problems and potentials. Let’s focus our attention on the potential that lies before us. Let’s drive our energy, will, and presence toward that potential.
Affirming a Positive Mindset
Affirmations are a nurturing way of talking to yourself and guiding your thoughts and beliefs to be in line with qualities that you value and want to embody. Let’s affirm this positive intention for our day. Visualize and connect to each affirmation as you make it your own; you can repeat each affirmation if you like or acknowledge and listen to it with quiet acceptance. Let’s affirm these thoughts.
I will start the day with a positive outlook as I feel grateful for this new opportunity to move through the world with gratitude, presence, and acceptance.
I will be mindful of how this day unfolds by being deeply present during these first morning minutes in my day.
It is my intention to have a positive outlook about the potential of this day, knowing that this day can bring me joy, insight, or pleasure.
My morning practice grounds me in this intention to look for the positive signs of the day, and I know that they are there if I look for them.
I will be mindful and accepting of how the day unfolds, remembering that a positive spirit helps me meet each moment with more energy and agency.
As you feel this connection between your restful body, a grateful heart, and your intention to move through your day with a positive spirit, let’s move those thoughts into the first state of action to help them come to life. I like to think of visualization as the first step toward taking action. We can use our mind’s eye to paint a picture of how we hope our day will unfold, and we can actively see ourselves making decisions and coming to situations with a positive mindset.
Visualize A Positive Day
Imagine that you have moved past this morning's practice and are now dressed and ready to start your day. Perhaps you leave your home to go to work, or work inside the home and prepare to begin with the day’s tasks. Picture yourself coming to each task with a sense of positive vitality. Perhaps a problem with a co-worker or someone you meet in your day arises, you picture yourself blowing past it, saying what you need to say, and then moving on, all the while keeping your positive energy.
You see yourself realize that these changing moments and unplanned interactions ebb and flow, coming into your life and then leaving, but you can try to keep your positive mindset as a companion through all the changes that the day brings. It is like a trusted friend who helps you see your path to the next task or moment with clarity.
Your morning routine has helped to anchor your thoughts and mindset and even any challenges you may encounter today are handled with more calmness and positive energy because you have seen these interactions in your mind and are prepared to let them come and go.
Take some time to visualize yourself going through your day with the energy and vitality that a positive spirit can bring. You aren’t ignoring any challenges that you have to face, but you aren’t attaching to them or holding onto these experiences longer than you need to either. You see the value of your intention to stay as positive as you can, and to do that because you know that storm clouds always pass and you have some faith that you can weather any storms that come today. Visualize yourself meeting your day’s routines with this positive energy.
You now have all the tools for moving forward with this precious, new day. You’ll meet it with energy, presence, and gratitude. May you find that you are able to handle any challenge that comes your way, that you can enjoy every joyful moment as it unfolds and that you return to restful sleep at the end of your day with a grateful heart for all that this day has given you. You wake up tomorrow and begin again.
Return to this affirmation meditation as you establish this positive morning routine. Each day, we grow closer to accepting the truth that being present to accept the promise of each new day allows us to explore new possibilities in our lives. This precious life has limitless potential. Let’s cultivate a positive energy to receive it.
You can hold these positive affirmations in your mind and heart by journaling about them. Reflect on this question or write about it in your journal:
How can I incorporate these positive morning affirmations into my life, using them to help me handle challenges or stress?
As we come back to the breath, remember that this living anchor is with you always. It is a physical affirmation of your existence and a constant companion to you during the day. Thank you for spending time with me on this mindful morning. I hope the effects of this positive morning routine stay with you as the hours pass and your day unfolds. Come back tomorrow, as we begin again.
Podcast Music: My thanks to all the musicians who make incredible music and have the courage to put it out into the world. All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.
Songs in this podcast episode: Day Birds 01 by Soundstripe; Vision by DeHartmann
Related Episodes:
Affirmation Meditation: Keep Your Dreams Alive ( #20)
LTVF Season Two Music Playlist: Check out the songs that inspire me, and connect with artists from many genres who add to our collective, human soundtrack.
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Jill Hodge
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