Breathe In, Breathe Out: A Moment of Clarity to Start Your Day

Welcome back to Mindful Mornings. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here with me today. You know, January mornings can feel like standing at the edge of a cliff with all your to-do lists swirling around like confetti, right? Today, I want to help you find solid ground before anything else touches your day. So take a breath. You're in the right place.

Let's start by getting comfortable. If you're sitting, let your shoulders drop away from your ears. If you're lying down, that works too. There's no wrong way to do this. I want you to notice the temperature of the air around you right now. Is it cool on your skin? Warm? Just notice it without judgment. That simple act of noticing is already bringing you into this moment, and this moment is the only one that matters.

Now, let's anchor ourselves with breath. Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four. Hold it gently for four. Then exhale through your mouth for four. Again, in for four, hold for four, out for four. You're not forcing anything here. You're just creating rhythm, like the tide coming in and out. Your nervous system recognizes this pattern and starts to relax. Do this three more times at your own pace.

Here's where the magic happens. I want you to imagine your mind as a clear lake at sunrise. Thoughts will appear on that surface like birds landing and taking off. That's perfectly normal. You're not trying to stop the birds. You're simply watching them. When you notice a thought about what you need to do today, when your mind jumps to that email or the meeting or the grocery list, just acknowledge it gently and return to your breath. In and out. In and out. If you lose focus, that's not failure. That's the practice. Coming back again and again. That's the real work.

As you breathe, feel your body becoming more present. Your shoulders, your chest, your belly. You're here. You're real. You're enough, exactly as you are right now, before you do anything else.

When you're ready, gently open your eyes. Take this clarity with you. When that first stressful moment hits today, pause and take four conscious breaths. Just four. That's your reset button.

Thank you so much for joining me for Mindful Mornings: Start Your Day with Peace and Clarity. Please subscribe so you don't miss tomorrow's practice. You're building something beautiful here. I'll see you in the morning.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI