Hi,
I'm Francesca Stoyer,
Somatic coach and yoga teacher,
And I want to thank you so much for joining me for this practice.
This practice is about cultivating moments of gratitude,
Even when it feels difficult.
There's no question that cultivating gratitude is important for our well-being.
But gratitude can be a tricky thing.
It's super easy to feel grateful when things are going well,
Right?
But when things aren't going well,
Or when life feels heavy,
Individually or collectively,
Gratitude can feel almost impossible to access.
Instead,
Gratitude can be replaced with feelings of discouragement,
Overwhelm,
Hopelessness.
If this is true for you,
Know this.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with you.
Feeling this way when life is hard is a completely normal and human response.
So I want to emphasize that this practice isn't about pretending everything is okay or forcing yourself into gratitude.
It's about inviting you to find gratitude in the things that support you every moment.
The parts of you that are always with you,
No matter what is happening around you.
Because no matter what's happening around you,
You have your breath.
You have your heartbeat.
You have the support of the ground beneath you.
You have a body that has carried you through every moment of your life up to now.
And even if these parts of your being are moving through their own challenges,
They hold an important truth.
As long as you are breathing,
As long as your heart is beating,
As long as the ground is holding you,
Possibility still exists.
Possibility for change,
For healing,
For something new.
Even if you don't sense it yet.
So today I invite you to connect to these simple reminders.
To explore gratitude not as something we have to reach for,
But as something that we can reconnect with through the breath,
The body,
And the steady support beneath us.
If gratitude has felt hard to touch lately,
I invite you to begin right here.
By noticing the rise and fall of each inhale and exhale.
The aliveness of your heart beating.
The support of the ground holding you.
These three things are always with you.
Let them remind you that you are here,
Breathing,
Alive,
Supported.
And as long as that is true,
Change is possible.
Even if it doesn't feel like it yet.
Let's begin.
Take a moment now to settle into a comfortable seat or lie down.
Whichever feels best for you.
Let your hands rest gently on your legs or at your sides.
And start by taking a moment here to feel the support of the ground beneath you.
Feeling the parts of the body that are in direct contact with that support.
And before closing your eyes,
I want to invite you to take a soft,
Slow look around the room you've chosen for this practice.
You chose this space for a reason.
Maybe it's familiar,
Calming,
Or simply a place where you could be present with yourself for a few minutes.
Let your gaze sweep gently across the room.
Notice anything that feels comforting or supportive.
Perhaps you spot your favorite color.
A piece of art you love.
A plant.
A soft texture.
A pet resting nearby.
Allow yourself to feel a moment of gratitude for these simple things.
These small symbols of comfort in your life.
And when you're ready,
Gently bring your head back to center and close your eyes.
Reconnect with that feeling of your body being supported.
Take a slow,
Deep breath in.
And on the exhale,
See if you could allow yourself to settle a bit more into that support.
Now take a moment to connect with the rhythm and sensations of your breath.
Letting your breath be just as it is,
Without having to change it.
Feel the natural rise and fall,
Expansion and release of each inhale and exhale.
Now if it feels comfortable,
I want to invite you to place one hand over your heart.
Connecting with the feeling of your heartbeat beneath your palm.
Steady.
Constant.
Supportive.
Each beat a reminder of your aliveness.
Now see if you could connect to all three things at once.
The feeling of your body supported.
The gentle rhythm of your breath.
The steady beat of your heart.
These simple anchors that remain with you through everything.
Each one saying quietly,
You are here.
And if you are here,
Possibilities still exist.
Possibility for softening.
For clarity.
For gratitude.
Possibility for unexpected shifts.
Possibility for change that unfolds slowly and gently over time.
Let your gratitude expand from these places.
Gratitude for the breath filling your lungs.
Gratitude for the heart that keeps beating.
Gratitude for the ground that holds you without effort.
Gratitude for a body that carries you even when life feels hard.
Let that gratitude be simple.
Let it be enough.
And then perhaps you can softly within yourself offer these words of thanks.
Thank you for these reminders that are with me always.
The support of the earth.
My heartbeat.
My breath.
May they continue to remind me that as long as these three things are present,
Change is possible.
Even when it doesn't feel that way.
May they remind me that I have more power than I realize to guide that change.
Even if it unfolds differently than I expect.
Notice how that lands for you.
How your body,
Your mind,
Your heart responds to those words of gratitude.
And then take a slow,
Deep breath in.
And let it out with a gentle sigh.
And when it feels right,
Let your hand release back down to your leg or side.
Bringing awareness back to the space you are in.
And when you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
May these seeds of gratitude continue to grow and flourish.
And may they spread like wildflowers into all areas of your life.
And may the three things that you always have with you.
The ground that supports you.
Your heartbeat and breath.
Remind you of the power within you.
And the possibilities that await you.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for practicing.
