Right now there is no danger
look around you – the room is just neutral
let go stomach – watch the stomach rise and fall with each breath
let go your shoulders – feet on floor
how you are feeling is very normal
Lots of people feel this way
it doesn’t mean you are going crazy
Life experiences sometimes boil over and we feel overwhelmed
but right now everything is ok
The feelings are normal symptoms of anxiety
they could go on all day and still you would be in no danger in the slightest
let your shoulders drop
smile
let go stomach – watch it rise and fall
Right now the past is past – now is the only time to be
Ok – so you haven’t been able to sleep
That is just what has happened
that’s ok
you are still here
you couldn’t sleep and that’s that
you’re ALLOWED to have not been able to sleep
there’s no rule book that says you SHOULD have had a PERFECT sleep
sometimes this happens – that people don’t sleep well – that’s OK – that just happens sometimes
You don’t HAVE to have a perfect sleep
how can you know that? – because here it is
you didn’t have the perfect sleep
if you rest as best you can then that will do
the only problem you will have is if you THINK it’s a problem
it just is as it is right now
it may be different tomorrow – you may get lots of sleep – you may not
whatever it is it will be as it is – that’s ok – its allowed to be that way
you can just sit there and let go into that – allow it to be as it is
stop resisting the fact that it is as it is just for now
and that it can change again
we all have times when we feel anxious, tired, irritable, upset, confused
that is part of everyones life – it’s OK
Relax stomach
Look around
Half smile
feel the neutrality of the room
right now – right here – in this second
if you don’t project into past or future – all is ok
you exist – that’s ok – that’s enough to know just now
let the past dissolve – think about the future when it happens
Right now let go – be with the experience of just breathing
allow the confusion to be in your head
allow the fear – the scary sensations
they are JUST sensations
you are in no danger from them
anxiety sensations or feelings cannot do you any actual harm
it just FEELS like they can – but actually they will just rise then fall
the will build up and feel SO frightening – then they will fade and pass
If you feel like this for a while to come then that’s just how it will be
you will still be in no danger
you can still just go over it like this
it will again pass
it will again change – it is not permanent
so many people are feeling just like this right now
its just what happens to us sometimes
its a part of life
these feelings don’t mean we are crazy or out of control
it doesn’t mean our life is ‘wrong’ in some way
its just experience – that’s all – its allowed to be like this – that’s ok
It is our resistance that makes us more anxious
we think – it shouldn’t be like this
but that’s like saying yesterday shouldn’t have been yesterday
it was as it was and that is that
now is now
right now you are here
breath – look around – let go stomach
let the panic HAPPEN – don’t try to change it – you don’t NEED to
it’s JUST unpleasant sensations – unpleasant thoughts
it can’t cause you any harm – it just FEELS scary
so let it be scary – that’s ok – scary is just scary
Let it happen in the background
focus outward
come back into the room
Let go
no need to relax
no need to stop the feelings
no need to change everything
just let everything be exactly as it is just now and in each moment to come
no big deal