Hello and welcome to this Nervous System Regulation and Imagination Technique.
Today we are here to have a look at our relationship with alcohol and we are using imagination to just define how that relationship looks like and how we want to move forward from that or with that relationship.
So to start I'd like to invite you to sit up straight,
Put your feet on the ground.
You can do that in any sort of position as well but I do think putting your feet on the ground is always a great start.
If you've placed them on the ground,
Press with your big toes into the ground.
Use your second big toe,
Third big toe,
Fourth toe and your pinky toe and really press into the ground.
Alternatively if you're lying down you can squeeze them.
Now take your heels off the ground and really press with the top of your feet into the ground.
Really press and then you put your heels down and you press with your heels into the ground.
Now place your feet again both equally next to each other and just feel.
Feel the presence of the ground underneath you,
How it's holding you,
How you're carried.
Acknowledge that you're rooted and grounded.
Now I would like to invite you to imagine alcohol as a person.
Just imagine any type of person.
Is that person male or female?
What color does the hair have?
Is it long hair,
Short hair?
How does she or he look like?
What is the posture?
What's the aura that comes with it?
Think about the feelings that you have towards that person.
Imagine you are at your home and then the doorbell is ringing and that person is standing in front of you.
What's your reaction?
Are you happy to see that person?
Is that a friend?
Has there been someone who's been supporting you a lot in your life?
Maybe it's someone you know but you actually don't like so much.
And you're a little bit like,
Oh,
Hi,
Don't really want to let you in.
Maybe it's someone you really like but you know whenever you guys hang out you end up not feeling so great.
Maybe it's a stranger and you don't know how to react.
Just try and have a look at that relationship and try to discover the feelings and sensations that come up in your body.
Everything is valid here.
How do you feel when you invite that person into your home?
Does it feel as if you're taking away some space?
Do you feel relaxed and happy?
Can you have nice and easy conversations?
Does it feel difficult?
Do you feel ashamed to have a conversation with that person?
What are the good things of that relationship?
What are the bad things?
Do you see that person often?
When and how?
What are the circumstances given when you see that person?
Do you have certain expectations towards that person?
Or do you feel like that person might have expectations towards you?
Maybe your friends have expectations to bring that person every time you see them.
Maybe you feel ashamed if you don't bring him or her to gatherings.
Or you do feel ashamed when you bring her.
She might embarrass you or he might embarrass you.
Maybe you've been realizing that relationship is a little bit one-sided.
You end up giving but in the end you don't feel great.
But if you don't have that person in your life,
How do you feel then?
Do you miss him?
Do you miss her?
If so,
Why?
List your emotions.
They're all allowed to be here.
They're all valid.
There's no right or wrong.
We're just exploring.
Do you want that person still to be around in your life?
And in what type of constellation do you feel safe around that person?
Does that person make you feel safe?
And where do those feelings,
Whether it's the safety or the feelings that you feel like you might need to take a step back from that relationship,
Where do those feelings occur in your body?
Is it in your stomach?
Your heart space?
Your head?
Can you identify emotions or feelings?
It's okay if you can't.
Maybe something is coming up.
Today we don't have to make a final decision.
We can always come back to this imagination and redefine our relationship with alcohol.
But try and think about how much you want to have that person in your life.
And really try and get clearer on your emotions and intentions and feelings towards that person.
Sometimes we can love someone a lot and still know we have to take a step back to have a healthier relationship.
Now I would like to invite you to draw your attention towards yourself.
It's always good to put a hand on your heart space or your stomach or even on the front of your head.
Imagine all the beautiful neuronal connections running through your brain and spreading throughout your body working so hard every day to make you be safe.
How do you want to feel?
How do you imagine the best and healthiest version of yourself?
What feelings do you have?
How do you wake up?
How do you deal with difficulties and triggers in your life?
What do you want and how do you get there?
Do you know that?
It's okay if you don't.
Just acknowledge that.
Acknowledge how your nervous system just runs through your body,
Nourishes you,
Keeps you alive every single second of the day.
What do you wish that nervous system?
How do you want it to feel?
What is your deepest,
Purest wish for that system?
I'd like you to take a deep breath in and out.
And with the next breath I would like to invite you to send all those positive feelings and wishes towards your nervous system.
And imagine that with that wish your nervous system is lighting up bit by bit and that light is spreading throughout your whole body.
Let's breathe in together and out.
Feel that space.
Feel that light.
And feel the life that is running through you.
You can start wriggling your fingers and your toes.
Move your hands.
You can open your eyes if you've closed them.
And just come back to the present moment.
You can return to this exercise as often as you want relationships change in life and that's okay.
It's okay if you don't know how and what alcohol is to you right now and how you can change that.
Just always come back,
Redefine,
Reconsider.
And when you take a decision to step back from alcohol then do so knowing you are doing this for yourself.
Do so knowing you are looking towards the best version,
Healthiest version of yourself and that you are actively protecting yourself.
I wish you a great rest of the day and I hope to see you soon.
