Let's start by finding a comfortable posture. This could be sitting, it could be standing, it could be lying down. And remember, you're always welcome to try a different posture, even if you want to just play around with it. So find something that feels comfortable for your body today. And if it's okay, you can close your eyes.

We'll start by taking a deep breath together to further settle in. Breathing in through the nose. And slowly out through the mouth. Inviting the jaw to soften so that the teeth aren't clenched and the muscles in the face can relax. Let those shoulders drop an inch.

They don't need to be bunched up to your ears. And the belly. Notice if you're tightening the belly or sucking it in. Just let it be easy right now,. As well as the hands that often tend to grip without us realizing it.

As the body relaxes, your breath can settle back into its normal rhythm. And just letting your attention rest and collect at the breath. So often it's darting in a million different directions, but here we're taking that, just centering it, directing it more precisely in one place. And for now, let that be just your body breathing. So begin by simply creating your container for stress.

That is this internal ability to feel stress arising without immediately pushing it away or getting angry at it. Just saying, I see you, you're safe here. And we view stress not through the lens of the negative, but rather as a power that can be very useful when we need it. So if stress is there, in addition to having that container that allows it to be there, see if you can change your relationship to it. And an appreciation that you have this inner capacity that can energize you, that can help you focus a little better.

And that can help you rise up to meet a challenge. So we start with that broad awareness that just allows the experience to be there and we shift our relationship to it. But we also have other ways of working with stress. If maybe we're not looking to use it, you can just notice the thoughts that are maybe creating the stress. Notice the images and the things your mind is saying right now.

Instead of getting consumed by that, you just watch it like clouds passing through the sky. Not judging the thoughts, just being curious. Oh, just a thought. Hey, thought. Creating some space around them.

And of course we can drop into our bodies. So see if you can feel your body sitting in this posture or standing or lying down. Maybe putting your hand on your heart or your belly. And taking a deep breath, filling the body up with air. And on the exhale, letting all of that tension go, letting the body be heavier, more grounded and more centered.

Nowhere to go. Nothing you need to fix right now. You're empowered. You're strong. You're grounded.

When you're ready, you can allow your eyes to open again. Thank you for your practice. Have a great day. And until we talk again, take care.