Breath Break (3 min 41 sec) can be used while at your desk or anytime during the day when you feel your tension building or preferably before you get to that point.  Set a goal to STOP several times throughout your day to check in with yourself. Take a few moments to listen to the recording and then return to your task with a more relaxed body and clearer mind.

Soften, Soothe, Allow helps us turn toward, rather than avoid difficult, uncomfortable emotions. There is a saying “What we resist persists and grows stronger.” This meditation guides us in a healthier relationship with challenging, unpleasant emotions.

Loving Kindness for Self focuses loving energy toward ourself or others. This can be difficult and sometimes leads to resistance since the average person is not used to this level of giving and receiving love. Loving-kindness meditation can help replace negative self-judgment with self-acceptance and kindness, which can improve self-esteem. Studies show that this can lead to better mental health, including lower levels of depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

3 Step Breathing Space provides a way to step out of automatic pilot and reconnect with the present moment. This practice can be very useful when negative thought patterns arise, attempting to push you into a downward spiral of emotional reactivity. By slowing down and turning into the present moment, with acceptance and compassion, this exercise can help you respond more skillfully to stressful situations. It is a meditation developed by Mark Williams, John Teasdale and Zindel Segal for the MBCT curriculum.