Showing Appreciation

Hi, it's Dora. Welcome to this mindful appreciation exercise, focused on creating space for joy and kindness in our minds and bodies. Oftentimes, it can be difficult to connect to those feel-good moments in life. Joy may seem distant. Kindness may be lacking when we need it most. However, one of the ways we can connect to a greater sense of joy is by reflecting on those in our lives who bring us joy. So let's give this a try. When you're ready, take a moment to get comfortable and just settle in. Your eyes can be open or closed. And then taking a few deep grounding breaths here, breathing in through the nose, breathing out through the mouth. On the next exhale, returning the breath back to its natural rhythm, and then bringing to mind someone in your life that you love, that fills you with joy. It could be a family member, a friend, even a pet. Maybe imagining them smiling, doing what they love, reflecting on all the different ways that they bring you joy. And noticing what feelings or sensations begin to arise in the body. Maybe there's warmth in the heart, or there could be a sense of tingling. Seeing if we can just savor this joy, and allowing this sense of joy to fill the body. And taking some nice slow breaths here, breathing in joy for ourselves and sending it out to others. Allowing this feeling to expand, and allowing any thoughts to come and go. Resting here in this moment. And if you'd like, offering them a few kind words, perhaps "I'm so proud of you," "I love you," or "I'm so grateful to have you in my life." Maybe even resting a hand on your heart, connecting to this wellspring of compassion and kindness, feeling it for ourselves and wishing it for others. Now just letting that go, and beginning to feel the weight of the body making contact with the surface beneath you. Noticing sounds around you in your space. And when you're ready, slowly and gently opening the eyes. If we can learn to familiarize ourselves with what joy feels like, we can get better at cultivating more space for joy in our everyday lives. So come back to this exercise anytime you need to connect to yourself and cultivate a little kindness in your life....