Welcome to Where It's Soft.
If you're here right now,
You might be in the middle of a flare or a moment where your skin feels suddenly louder and harder to manage.
When your body reacts like this it can bring up fear,
Uncertainty and that instant sense of panic,
Not knowing what comes next or how long this will last.
Even though you may not be able to control everything your body is doing right now,
There is something you can gently support.
How you meet yourself in this moment.
Remember,
What flares up must calm down.
That doesn't mean you need to fix it,
Force it or rush it.
It simply means that this state isn't permanent,
Even if it feels intense right now.
Each time you respond with steadiness rather than panic your body learns something important,
That it's safe to get through this.
Over time,
Flares can become less frightening.
Not because they never happen,
But because your nervous system learns you won't abandon yourself when they do,
That you have your own back.
This practice is here to help with that.
A way to stay with yourself gently without making things harder for your body.
In a moment we'll move into a simple breathing practice.
We'll be using a steady counted rhythm with a slightly longer exhale than inhale.
This kind of breathing gives your system something predictable to rest into.
It can help take that edge off that feeling of being on high alert and gently signal to your body that it's safe to start settling.
The counting also gives your mind somewhere to land,
Which can be helpful when these thoughts feel fast or hard to slow down.
This doesn't need to take a lot of effort.
If your mind wanders,
That's okay.
You can simply return to the count when you notice.
Just staying here with the rhythm is enough.
Like anything,
This gets easier with practice.
Even on days where it feels awkward or subtle,
Your body is still learning from it.
And if at any point you need to adjust,
Pause,
Or step away,
You're allowed to do that.
This is a soft place.
When you're ready,
Allow your attention to settle on your breath.
There's no need to change it yet.
Just notice that it's there.
In a moment,
We'll begin a gentle rhythm.
A steady inhale,
Followed by a slightly longer exhale.
I'll guide the count for you at first.
All you need to do is follow along.
We'll start together.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Again,
Now I want you to continue breathing this way.
We're going to add in some counts in for four and out for six.
I want you to keep this breath going while I add in some grounding reminders throughout the exercise.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Let the inhale arrive easily,
And let the exhale take its time leaving.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
If your mind wanders,
That's okay.
You're not doing anything wrong.
You can return to the count when you notice.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
There's nothing else you need to attend to right now.
Nothing else that needs your energy in this moment.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Let the exhale feel a little heavier,
As if it's gently dropping away from you.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
You don't need to try hard,
And there's no need to try to get this perfect.
Just being here with yourself is enough.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Notice how each exhale creates a small pause at the end,
A moment where nothing needs to happen.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
If it feels okay,
Imagine the weight of whatever's been worrying you being carried away on the exhale.
Not completely pushed out,
But just given somewhere to rest for now.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
You've been navigating a lot lately,
And right now,
You don't need to hold all of it at once.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
From here,
You're welcome to keep following the count,
Or if it feels natural,
You can let the rhythm of your breath continue as it is on its own.
I'll be here with you,
But I'll just give you a few short moments to pause and continue the counting on your own.
I'm still here with you.
If you notice your breath drifting back to a shorter pattern,
That's okay.
You can gently return to the longer exhale whenever you like.
There's nowhere else you need to be right now.
Nothing else that matters more than staying here with yourself.
Let the inhale arrive.
Let the exhale fall away.
Notice how your body responds when the exhale has more space,
Without analyzing it,
Just noticing.
Now,
For the final few breaths,
We'll return to the count together.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
And exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Each exhale is a quiet reminder that you're allowed to move through this moment gently.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
There's nothing else to do,
Nothing else you need to manage.
Let the counting soften now in your mind,
And allow your breath to move in the rhythm it's found.
Just gently coming back to the feeling of the breath leaving your body.
Now,
Just stay here together for a final few more breaths,
And when you're ready,
Allow the breath to return fully to its natural pace.
No counting and no guiding,
Just noticing that you're still here and that you stayed with yourself through this moment.
You found a moment of softness inside something incredibly hard,
That's worth acknowledging.
We've come to the end of this practice,
And you can return here as often as you need,
While you practice being gentler with yourself.
Take what you need,
Leave the rest.
You're always welcome back here where it's soft.
