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Welcome back to the Anxiety Slayer

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Podcast. I'm Shan VanderLeek, and

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this week I'll be sharing a guided meditation

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for sweet support when

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anxiety makes you feel small. This

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is a helpful practice if

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you feel like anxiety is crowding in

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on you and you feel constrained

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or overwhelmed. Find

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a comfortable place, either sitting

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or lying down, and

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take a moment to

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settle in and make sure

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your face is relaxed, your

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jaw, neck, and shoulders

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are released. Just

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notice anywhere you might be holding

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energy that you can release. And

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now sink into where you're sitting or

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lying down and

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give yourself permission to

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rest and relax for the

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next few minutes. We'll

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start by taking a few deep breaths, filling

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your lungs with air, feeling

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your chest expand and

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releasing. Filling

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your lungs with air, feeling

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your chest and belly expand and

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exhale. And

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again, another nice deep cleansing

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breath, this time filling

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your lungs and belly with air. holding

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it for a couple of counts, and

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then exhaling with a sigh

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or any kind of noise you wish to make. Bring

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your awareness to your feet. Stretch

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and relax them. Moving

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up your body, bring your awareness

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to your legs and

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stretch and relax

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them. Moving

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up again, bring your awareness

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to your arms and

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stretch and

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relax. And

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your hands. Stretch

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and relax them. And

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as you relax more deeply and

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settle into this time for self-care,

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start bringing your mind to a favorite place,

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somewhere you've been before and

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would love to go to again, or

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perhaps somewhere new that you'd

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like to visit. This

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daydream journey is completely free

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from anxiety. At

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this time, you are only visiting in your

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mind. So

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you can choose your environment and

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an experience that

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makes you feel comfortable and

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safe. As

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you sink in and rest,

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continue taking nice deep

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breaths. Now

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imagine a scene that

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feels beautiful and calming to you.

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How does the sky look? And

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your physical surroundings? What

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does the Earth look like? How

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does the ground feel beneath your feet? How

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does the air feel on your skin?

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What can you see? What

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can you hear? And

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how relaxed can

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you get here? Now

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stretch and relax

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your body again. Taking

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deep, steady breaths.

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Noticing the colors and sounds

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of this healing place. Rest

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here a few moments. Now,

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as you are more relaxed and far

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from anxiety, take

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a few moments to think what you

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can bring back from this experience into

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your life. your day. What

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space can you bring into your life

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for more relaxation, more

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creativity, and

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more joy in your life? What

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space can you bring into your

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life for more

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relaxation, more joy in your life? When

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you feel ready, gently

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open your eyes and

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know you can come back to this place

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anytime you want to

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take a break from anxiety and

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create more space in your life for

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the things that help you feel like you when

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you're at your best. you