Breathe
Hi, Thinking Out Loud here :D
Welcome to Mindful Monday Week 32
Here is the link for this week's playlist. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1shgL4imgP44TBTi0uH2sU?si=05b26532243f45d7
I hope you enjoy listening whilst you read, and I hope you find the music relaxing.
If an ad plays, please stop reading and wait for the playlist to play again. The playlist will be timed for you to read to the end of this blog post, with maybe one song running over after reading.
Get a drink, maybe even a snack, and find a comfy seat so you can relax. Let go of all worries and enjoy the next five deep breaths. Please prepare for the first breath in by breathing out.
Now time for your first deep breath; take one deep breath in through your nose for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1..2.. Breathe out through your mouth for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1... Breathe in for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1..2.. And out for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1... Breathe in for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1..2.. And out for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1... Two more to go; breathe in for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1..2.. And out for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1... Last one deep breath in for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1..2.. And out for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1... Now go back to your regular breathing pattern. I hope you feel calm and relaxed.
For many people, summer holidays are now over (in the northern hemisphere at least, I know down here in the southern hemisphere we still have ours to come. After this next two-week holiday before that last term. I can almost feel those beautiful summer days.) For the most part, children are back at school, and life is starting to get back into routines; those lazy summer mornings and long summer evenings, I’m sure, are now nearly a distant memory. Your little ones are starting new adventures, and I genuinely hope they have a fantastic year. For those who have just started their first year of school, I hope they have a fantastic start. I hope all of you mums, dads, grandmas, granddads and caregivers are doing ok as you let your little ones go, learn and grow on this new adventure.
For those of you who have kids who don’t find going to school easy, I hope you find new ways this year to make it seem less daunting; I was once one of those kids, so I highly sympathise with you and your child and send you both hugs of encouragement and strength.
Those who are entering their final year of school, let this be your best year yet, have fun, get involved and make the best memories with your friends; I know parents you will be telling your kids they will miss these years; I’m here to say to your kids listen to your parents, it’s true, once you’ve left you do miss your school years, and this is coming from someone who really wasn’t the biggest fan of school.
Now that you are a week or more into school routines or back-to-work routines, if you’ve taken time off work for the summer, take the time today to breathe, relax, and reflect on the break you’ve had. As you breathe, also look forward to the year you have ahead of you, with new prospects, adventures and maybe possible changes. Accept what you want to accept, take what you want to carry over into this new school/work year, and leave what you don’t need behind in last year. Take opportunities as and when they show up, be the best version of yourself and let this year be your best year in work, personal life and school.
For those of us in the southern hemisphere, school holidays are just around the corner (when I wrote this, we were two weeks away from holidays, I know now, at least in NZ, school holidays have just begun for two weeks). I hope those of you who are going to be on holidays have an amazing break and that your kids have the time they need to recuperate and breathe before their final school term of the year. I hope you all treat each other, relax, and prepare for the next term.
For any seniors who are heading into exam season soon, breathe and good luck; I really mean that you’ve had a few challenging years, but take what you have learnt, take what you know and do your best, as long as you are proud of what you have achieved that is the best thing. I am so proud of you for how far you have come; you’ve kept at it; there might have been times when you wanted to quit, but you didn’t, you stayed, and you’ve done amazing.
If you have two years to go, those two years will fly by; enjoy them. If you have a year to go, it's going to be over before you realise it has begun; take opportunities get involved with groups, take photos and make so many memories. For those who are finishing their final year and leaving at the end of this year, I hope you have had a blast; I hope you’ve made memories that you will carry with you for life and friends who have become like family, take photos, and have an amazing last term of school, the wider world is ready to welcome you with open arms, whatever your next chapter is I hope you achieve everything you wish to achieve.
For everyone reading this, don’t forget to breathe; if things seem to be getting too much, count to ten as you breathe in and out slowly to calm you a little through these changes, and don’t forget to enjoy them, they might be hard or scary, but before we try, we don’t know how amazing things can be.
Please leave a comment below about how you are coping with the back-to-school fun and work starting again, the holidays that are about to begin, and the final term before our holidays start. As always, only share what you are happy to share. Please don’t share any school or children's names. Remember that comments don’t always show as they get moderated; I do read all comments, so please be kind I am only one person running this page.
Let's finish with a three-deep breath breather.
Take one deep breath in through your nose for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1..2.. Breathe out through your mouth for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1... Breathe in for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1..2.. And out for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1... Final breath in for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1..2.. Last breath out for five 1..2..3..4..5.. No hold here; you can now go back to your regular breathing pattern.
As always, thank you for taking the time to read this week's Mindful Monday. I really do appreciate everyone who takes the time to read them and listens to what I have to say.
Love always
Thinking Out Loud xx :D
Breath in love and breath out love, take each challenge as they come, breathe through it, and I hope it helps in making your day a little bit lighter and easier.
