Steady Within: A Morning Meditation For Challenging Workdays

Take a moment now just for you,

Before the day begins,

Before the pressure rises.

I invite you to close your eyes if you can.

Place one hand gently on your chest.

Feel the rise and fall of your breath.

Inhale slowly through your nose and exhale gently through your mouth.

Again breathe in and breathe out and then breathe in a way that's comfortable for you.

You may be dreading this day.

You may feel stuck,

Exhausted or uninspired.

Let those feelings be here without pushing them away.

You don't have to pretend.

You're allowed to feel what you feel.

But right now,

Let's come back to you.

You are more than your job.

You are more than what you do to earn money.

You are a whole,

Valuable,

Powerful human being.

And this moment,

This breath belongs to you.

As you breathe,

Imagine a soft golden light around your body.

Like a gentle shield that reaches out all the way in front of you and above your head and below your feet.

It doesn't block the world out but it gives you space.

Space to be yourself even when you're in a place that does not feel like home.

With each inhale,

Breathe in calm.

With each exhale,

Release what you don't need to carry today.

Repeat silently if you like or let the words wash over you.

I can do hard things and still protect my peace.

I am not my job.

I am worthy of something better and I am moving towards it.

For today,

I give myself compassion,

Strength and space to breathe.

Let those words settle into your body.

Let them support you like steady ground beneath your feet.

You may not love where you're going today but you don't have to abandon yourself on the way there.

You get to show up with softness,

With boundaries and with presence.

One moment at a time.

Take one final deep breath in and a slow steady breath out.

Gently open your eyes.

You're already doing better than you think and you are not alone.