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Hey there, friend. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you've carved out this little pocket of time for yourself today. Whether you're rolling out of bed on this Monday morning or sneaking in a practice between chaos and more chaos, I see you. Stress has a way of wrapping around us like fog, doesn't it? But here's the thing: we're going to spend the next few minutes together learning how to see through it. So take a breath. You're exactly where you need to be.
Let's settle in. Find a comfortable seat, somewhere you won't be interrupted for the next few minutes. Your feet can be flat on the ground, or cross-legged, or however feels like home to your body right now. Let your shoulders drop away from your ears. Feel that? That's already relief happening. Close your eyes if that feels right, or soften your gaze downward. We're not going anywhere.
Now, bring your attention to your breath. Don't change it, don't perform it, just notice it. Is it shallow? Deep? Quick? Slow? There's no perfect breath here. There's just your breath, exactly as it is. Imagine your exhale is like releasing tension on a rope you've been holding too tightly. With each out breath, you're loosening your grip just a little bit. In through the nose if you can, and out through the mouth like you're fogging a mirror. Do that with me three times.
Here's where we go deeper. As you breathe, I want you to notice where stress lives in your body. Maybe it's a knot in your chest, or tightness in your jaw, or heaviness in your shoulders. Don't judge it. Just acknowledge it. Say to yourself, "I see you, stress. You're here, and that's okay." Because here's the truth: the moment we stop fighting what we're feeling, it starts to loosen. It's like quicksand, right? The more you struggle, the deeper you sink. But when you stop and breathe, you float.
As you continue breathing, imagine a warm light entering with each inhale. See it moving through your body, wherever you hold tension. And as you exhale, the stress leaves with the breath, like smoke dissolving into air. You might not feel dramatically different, and that's perfectly fine. This practice is about tiny shifts, small moments of freedom.
Here's what I want you to carry with you today: when stress bubbles up, come back to this. Feel your feet on the ground. Notice three breaths. That's it. That's your reset button, right there in your body, available anytime.
Thank you so much for spending these moments with me on Stress Relief. Your commitment to your own wellbeing matters more than you know. Please subscribe so you never miss our next practice together. You've got this.
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