A (4:16)

I think many of us are taught to improve ourselves, fix ourselves, or at the very least, hide the parts that feel too messy, too needy, too much. But this practice isn't about self improvement. It's about self inclusion. So today we're going to try to meet ourselves with kindness. Not because we earned it, not because we did something spectacular, but because we can be so hard on ourselves. Sometimes it can feel like don't gang up on me with me, against me. You know that feeling. So we have to balance that out a bit. And let me just say, you don't have to feel any great surge of love. You don't have to fake anything. You just have to be willing to turn toward yourself with even a little less judgment and a little more care. Okay, let's begin. Find the position that allows your body to feel supported and grounded, relaxed but alert. And if it feels okay, you may close your eyes. It can help you turn your attention inward, or maybe just soften your gaze. And as you welcome yourself to the present moment, see if you can ease any demand you have on this being a certain way. And allow the breath to find its natural rhythm. And you don't have to do this right. There's no role to play here. There's no version of you to live up to. Let's just rest in this living, breathing presence. And we start with the body feeling all the points of contact. The chair, the cushion, floor. The body, in many ways, is our home base. Bring to mind the part of yourself you usually overlook. Maybe it's something small, there's something quiet, some part of you that doesn't get danked. A part that's just doing its best. Maybe it's your feet or your breath, maybe your perseverance. Offer that part a little appreciation. A little thank you for holding you this whole time. Again. It doesn't have to feel like a flood of love, just a gesture of kindness. You've made it through things no one else may fully know. You've kept going, you've grown, you've cared. Let yourself receive better acknowledgment. This isn't self indulging or ego. This is honesty. This is the heart recognizing the beauty of its own effort. Because we're still here. So without forcing it, offer your nervous system a new message. Thank you body for carrying me. Thank you heart for caring so much. Thank you breath for always bringing me back. And maybe you can feel the warmth of that appreciation in your chest. Let it spread outward into the shoulders, the arms, the belly. Sometimes we can't really feel that much. Or there's parts of us that may resist it. They think maybe you don't deserve kindness or gratitude. Or that's okay, you don't have to force it. You're just offering an invitation. We allow ourselves a new message. It's okay to be kind to myself. It's okay to recognize there's goodness here. Let the breath move through you into all the corners of your being that may feel forgotten or tense, bringing that warmth there, each breath as an offering that this is enough. I don't have to be more than I am right now. I'm glad to be here. Let yourself rest in that sentiment, even for just a few breaths. Nothing to push away, nothing to fix. Only the sweetness of being here with yourself. Alive, awake and worthy of appreciating.

B (17:11)

Not.

A (17:11)

For what you're doing, but for who you are exactly as you are right now. See if you can notice even the tiniest shift. Maybe something softenstein. Sometimes it's just appreciating yourself for showing up today. So when the critic shows up again, and it will, you get to remember there's another voice in here too, one that doesn't need you to be more better or different. And slowly start to come out of the meditation. Let your eyes crack if you had them closed. And as you move through your day, see if you can walk with that voice beside you. As you feel the breath in your chest, let it remind you that you're.

B (19:24)

Here.

A (19:31)

Kind, caring, on your side. Thank you for your practice.

B (19:47)

Thank you to Vinny. Thank you for meditating with us today. You can get more great meditations from Vinnie that are linked to our podcast episodes over on danharris.com and you can, if you sign up, get access to our weekly live video guided meditation and Q and A sessions. We do them on Tuesdays at 4 o' clock Eastern. The next one is on Tuesday, September 16th with Vinnie. And as I mentioned earlier, I've got some in person events coming up. One is at the New York Insight meditation center on September 21st. The other is at the Omega Institute in Upstate New York the weekend of October 24th. Links in the show notes and finally, as always, big thank you to everybody who worked so hard on this show. Our producers are Tara Anderson, Caroline Keenan and Eleanor Vasily. Our recording and engineering is handled by the great folks over at Pilot Hot People. Lauren Smith is our Production manager, Marissa Schneiderman is our Senior producer, DJ Cashmere is our Executive producer and Nick Thorburn of the band Islands wrote our theme. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, Monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations.