Welcome back, friend. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here. You know, late December is this peculiar time, isn't it? The holidays are winding down, the new year is knocking on the door, and somehow we end up feeling both relieved and restless at the same time. Maybe you're reflecting on the year, or perhaps you're caught between what was and what's coming. Either way, that tension lives in your body. Today, we're going to gently dissolve some of that.

Let's start right where you are. Find a comfortable seat, feet flat on the floor if you can. Let your shoulders drop away from your ears. You might notice you're holding tension you didn't even know was there. That's okay. That's what we're here for.

Now, take one deep breath in through your nose. Let it fill your belly like you're inhaling the warmth of fresh bread cooling on a windowsill. Hold it for just a second. And exhale slowly through your mouth. Let it go. Do that two more times at your own pace. Notice how your nervous system begins to soften.

Here's our main practice today, and it's called the Tension Release Scan. Close your eyes gently. Starting at the crown of your head, imagine a warm, golden light moving slowly downward. This light doesn't judge or rush. It simply notices. Move it down your forehead, soften any furrows. Watch it travel down your jaw. Most of us clench there without realizing it. Let it release.

Bring that gentle light down your neck and shoulders. Feel any knots beginning to untie themselves like you're slowly unwinding a complicated necklace. Continue down your arms to your fingertips. Your chest opens. Your belly relaxes. Your lower back releases into the chair or cushion beneath you. All the way down your legs to your feet. You've just mentally visited every part of yourself with compassion.

Here's the secret: stress lives in our bodies like an unwanted houseguest. When you bring awareness to these spaces without judgment, you're showing stress the door politely but firmly.

As we close, notice how you feel different. Not perfectly zen, maybe, but more settled. More you. Take this feeling with you. When you feel stress creeping back in today, simply pause for ten seconds and mentally visit that tight spot with the same warm light. That's your portable practice.

Thank you so much for joining me on Daily Mindfulness: 5-Minute Meditations for Stress Relief. Please subscribe so you never miss a practice. I'll see you tomorrow.

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