English

This is a shorter version of the Morning Anchor for Hair Pulling meditation, designed to help you begin your day with awareness and intention—two essential tools for navigating life with trichotillomania.

Mini-tation: Morning Anchor For Hair Pulling

Hello, and welcome to this meditation for hair pulling. This is a mini practice that's designed to be used early in the day to provide a mindful morning anchor. Come to a comfortable position, either seated or lying down. Now take in a deep breath, and let it go. Now, another deep breath in, and release. Relax your body and settle in. Notice where you may be holding tension. Relax your shoulders and jaw. Let your forehead soften. Release your tongue from the roof of your mouth. Notice if there's anywhere else that you're clenching or holding on to tension, and see if you can invite a little more relaxation into that area. Now let's check in with your internal world. Notice what thoughts are coming up. Are you thinking about the day ahead and all that you have to do? Or perhaps thoughts of past events that were stressful. You may notice thoughts of self-doubt or criticism. All of those thoughts are fine. Let's practice acknowledging them without judgment. How are you feeling right now? Do you feel content? Anxious? Excited? Irritable? Maybe sad? You don't need to change anything. Just notice what emotions are present for you right now. How is your energy? Do you feel energized and ready to take on the day? Or are you feeling tired, worn out, or overwhelmed? Or maybe somewhere in the middle? What do you feel in your body right now? Let's scan through the body and notice if there's any tension or other sensations. Begin by bringing your attention to your head and scan down. Next, bring your attention to your neck, then your shoulders, your arms, hands, your chest, your belly, your legs, and your feet. Again, whatever you notice is fine. And we can practice acknowledging what's there without judgment. Now let's tune into your external environment. Go ahead and open your eyes if you have them closed. What's going on around you? What colors or objects can you see? What sounds can you hear, both near and far? What are you touching? Maybe you can feel the clothes on your skin, or the earth supporting your weight. Can you smell anything? Or taste anything? This simple act of noticing what's going on in the present moment is a helpful practice for returning to a mindful state later in the day. Finally, let's set an intention for the day. I invite you to choose a positive, present tense statement to carry with you for the rest of your day. You may choose something like, I am intentional with my hands. Or, when I notice an urge, I will watch it rise and fall. Or any other statement that resonates with you. Repeat these statements as often as you wish throughout the day. Today we practiced shifting between inner and outer awareness. This promotes flexibility, choosing where your attention goes, instead of defaulting to a familiar pattern. Remember that right now in this moment you are showing up for yourself. You are building the mental muscle to act with intention and mindfulness. Today is a new day, and you can make it whatever you want. May you have an intentional day.