Awake Worrying SOS

Hi, I'm Sam. Sometimes the worries we feel for our children hit us at the most inconvenient times, interfering with our ability to rest and sleep. And worrying is tricky because though it doesn't feel productive, our brain can get stuck worrying in an attempt to take action or prevent something based on an unpleasant thought or experience. So instead of continuing to worry, we'll greet the worries with acceptance and compassion, and then send ourselves some kind wishes. So just take a moment to lie down, or get into a comfortable seated position with your eyes closed or open and resting your gaze on a spot in front of you. And just take a slow, deep breath, in through your nose and out through your mouth. And let's take another deep breath. This time shrugging your shoulders up toward your ears as you breathe in, holding for a moment, and then exhaling as you slowly relax your shoulders down away from your ears. And then just take a moment to feel the points of contact between your body and the surfaces that it's resting on. Starting with your feet, just feel your feet resting against the floor, the bed. And just feel your body is supported. Notice where your hands are resting. Then just allow your breath to be natural and easy, letting go of trying to breathe deeply or slowly. And as your breath finds its own natural, easy rhythm, just notice where you feel your breath most comfortably in your body. It could be the feeling of your belly rising and falling. Maybe the feeling of your lungs expanding and contracting. You might even notice the subtle feeling of air as it enters and leaves your nose. So just allow your attention to rest on the spot that you're naturally drawn to, and allow yourself to be immersed in your breath. Getting interested in the nuanced sensations, as if noticing them for the first time. And you can use the words in and out as you breathe to help you anchor to your breath. And now just imagine that your mind is like a watering hole in a forest, that animals feel safe enough to drink from. And you can create this inner safety for your own thoughts and feelings to show up by greeting them with kindness, curiosity, and awareness. And as you rest your attention on your breath and your body, just allow the thoughts, like animals at the watering hole, to show up one at a time and to be acknowledged with kindness and compassion. You can gently say to your worries, "I see you, and I'm here." You can also label some of the bigger feelings and thoughts by silently noting fear or problem solving or any other word that captures the activity of your mind. And now that there's more clarity about what's worrisome to you, we're just gonna take some time to practice loving kindness, and we'll direct this loving kindness...