Today we are going to practice a goal action meditation called the worry jar.
I want to invite you to find a peaceful space and position that allows for you to be open and turn inward.
If you feel comfortable,
I want for you to close your eyes and on your own time take a few deep inhales in through your nose and out through your mouth.
The worry jar is a place for you to put your worries,
Anxieties or fears so that you don't have to keep thinking about them throughout the day.
Your worry jar is a place to store them or to just put them away for safe keeping.
With your eyes closed,
Imagine a jar that can be used for safe keeping.
This jar can be any shape,
Any size,
Any length or any depth of your liking.
It can be big enough or small enough to hold all of your worries,
Anxieties or fears.
Imagine a top for your jar that is secure enough for you but accessible enough for you to open when you are ready.
Open the top of your empty jar.
Keep big inhale in through your nose and exhale out through your nose.
I want to invite you to let yourself let go of any of those worries,
Fears or anxieties and release them into your jar.
What are some things that you would like to stop worrying about?
What are some fears that you are holding on to?
What is it like to be you on your bad days?
What are some fears that you are holding on to?
What are you holding on to that you are ready to discuss right now?
What are some fears that you are waiting for?
What are some fears that you are waiting for?
What are some fears that you are waiting for?
You are not locking your worries away forever.
You are storing them so you don't have to think about them and carry them with you all day.
Your worried jar will be a place where you can find them when you are ready.
What are some fears that you are waiting for?
What are some fears that you are waiting for?
What are some fears that you are waiting for?
As you begin to focus on your breath,
Breathing in through your nose and out through your nose at your own pace.
And when you are ready,
I want to invite you to place the lid on your jar and close it.
As you continue to inhale and exhale through your nose,
I want for you to know that it can be helpful to pick about 10 to 15 minutes once a day to open your jar and allow for yourself to ponder upon the things that are in your jar.
Only 10 to 15 minutes at a minimum of one time per day to allow for yourself to worry about what you have placed inside of your jar.
Inhale in through your nose,
Exhale through your nose.
You have permission to open your jar at any time to journal or to talk to your therapist about what you have placed in your jar.
As you are still focusing on your breathing,
I want for you to know that after this meditation,
It may be helpful to do some things that you like to do to practice a little bit of self-care,
To provide yourself with some things that you might need right now after releasing a lot of your worries and fears and anxieties into your worry jar.
Some things that you might find helpful to do could be calling a loved one,
Spending some intentional time with your friends or family,
Taking a nap,
Journaling,
Listening to music,
Talking with your therapist,
Cooking,
Watching TV or playing the game,
Reading,
Taking a shower or a bath,
Going for a walk,
Going for a drive,
Practicing yoga,
Taking a nap,
Or practicing another meditation.
I want for you to take a deep inhale in through your nose,
Exhale out through your mouth as you make a plan to what you are going to do as far as self-care after this meditation.
Take a deep inhale in through your nose,
Exhale out through your mouth,
And exhale out through your nose.
Open your eyes and make a note to yourself that everything is going to be okay.
