13. Breathe into summer
00:01:01 Malin Pousette: This is the first day of my summer vacation. And maybe yours too. Or maybe it's coming soon. That moment we've been counting down to. Longer days, softer mornings, golden light, freedom. But alongside that freedom, there is sometimes pressure to make the most out of it. To be joyful, present, grateful, productive, rested, all at once. And maybe you're already tired just thinking about it. So before we go any further, take one deep inhale with me. Let's arrive in to this moment slow and gentle. Let your shoulders drop. Let your body rest. Summer and vacation is beautiful, but it can also be a lot. Schedules shift, routines fall away. There is noise, travel, heat, plans, rain, people. Even the good things can be overstimulating. And if you ever found yourself on vacation thinking, Why do I still feel tense? Why can't I relax? You're not alone. So often we bring the same expectations and to-do list into summer. Just with sand in our shoes. And that's okay. You're not doing summer wrong. You're just a human. But your breath doesn't care if you're on the perfect vacation or if the day is a little messy. It meets you where you are. Whether you're at the beach, in the car, together with your kids, or just feeling a little bit off, the breath is always here to anchor you. Not to fix you, not to make it perfect, but to remind you, this moment is enough. You are enough. So if today feels like a lot, even if it's beautiful, take a gentle step back, a pause, a breath. Find a quiet corner, somewhere still, somewhere soft. Maybe step outside if you can. Feel the sun warming your skin Or just feel the breeze in your hair. Or maybe let the rain kiss your face and remind you that you're alive. Maybe you grab your favorite essential oil. Maybe it's a drop of citrus to lift your spirit. Lavender to calm your nervous system or peppermint to bring you back, be clear and present. Either way,
00:04:34 Malin Pousette: if it feels safe, you can close down your eyes. inhale deeply. Let it awaken something inside of you. And let the outside world just fade and come home to your breath. Feel your inhale and your exhale. Again, a slow inhale in through your nose. Feel that your lungs, your belly, your ribcage expands. And a soft exhale through the mouth. Feel your body gently let go. No need to rush. No need to force. Just to be with a breath as it moves you. Let it roll in like a tide and roll out like a whisper. Maybe your mind wanders. That's okay. Each breath is a doorway back. Inhale, feel the breath fill up your body. Feel it reach all the way up to your collarbones. Take a pause and exhale slowly, gently release. Let your shoulders drop. Let your body rest. Inhale again, soft, steady, and feel your body expand with aliveness. Exhale and allow your body to soften. Like melting into this moment. Stay here for a while. Let each breath become an offering. A way home. A way inward. Breathe in and feel it all. Breathe out and release. Until it's just you and your breath And the quiet hum of being present. Let your breath hold you. Let the breath love you. Let your breath remind you that you're here. You're safe and you get simply just to be. Maybe you want to continue to stay with your breath. Or maybe this was exactly what you needed. You decide. If you want to come back to your natural breath, just release and let go the breath pattern that we just held. This is your summer, not anyone elses. You don't have to make it perfect. You don't have to make it magical for everyone else. You just get to feel it. To be in it. A time to return to your breath. Again and again. Let this be your permission to slip. To slow down. To say no. To sit in a grass and let yourself be held. To laugh, to cry, to not have a plan. Let this summer be soft. Let it be yours. Until next time.
00:08:55 Malin Pousette: Let's begin within.
