When the Mind Won't Stop

Read along

The day is nearly over. Let's give your mind somewhere softer to land.

Sit or lie down, in whatever way feels most comfortable.

Let your eyes close.

Take a slow breath in…

and let it go with a sigh, if you like.

Again. In… and out.

Your mind may be busy right now. Thoughts about today. About tomorrow. About things someone said.

You don't need to stop them. Thoughts aren't something you can switch off.

But you can change how you hold them.

For the next few minutes, imagine you're sitting by a window, watching the rain.

Each thought is like a raindrop on the glass. It appears, it runs down, and it's gone.

When a thought comes, you can simply say to yourself, "Thinking."

Then let it slide down the window.

Notice what kind of thoughts come most often. Maybe "What if…" Maybe "I should have…" Maybe "I need to remember…"

Each time, just name it, gently. "Planning." "Worrying." "Remembering."

And let it go.

You might notice that some thoughts keep coming back. The same loop, again and again.

That's alright. A loop usually means something matters to you.

You can say to it, "I see you. I'll think about you tomorrow, in the daylight."

Some problems are easier to solve in the morning. Night makes everything look bigger than it is.

Now let your attention move down, out of your head, and into your body.

Feel the weight of your head on the pillow, or your neck resting on your shoulders.

Feel your shoulders. Let them drop away from your ears.

Feel your chest rising and falling.

Feel your belly, soft and warm.

Feel your hands. Maybe they're tingling a little. Maybe they're heavy.

Feel your legs, and your feet.

Your body is here, right now, in this room. It is not in yesterday or tomorrow.

Whenever your mind wanders back to its thoughts, come back to one place in the body. The hands, or the breath.

Let's stay here together for a while.

If thoughts have come back, that's alright. Just notice them. "Thinking." And return to the breath.

Now, if there's something you truly need to remember for tomorrow, imagine writing it on a small piece of paper.

Fold it up, and place it on a table by the door. It'll be there in the morning.

You don't need to carry it tonight.

Take one more slow breath in…

and a long breath out.

You've done enough today. Your mind has done enough today.

Let it rest now.

If you're going to sleep, simply let go and drift. If not, open your eyes slowly when you're ready.