Take a Little Trip With Me…in Your Mind
When my son was a little boy, we had a ritual that we did every single night. First I would read him a book, then we would sing “You Are My Sunshine” and then I would tell him a story. He was the main character, but it wasn’t just any story, it was a fairy tale and it was peaceful and vivid. It was designed to keep him entertained while secretly lulling him to sleep. Clever Mom that I was!
We would often be taking a walk in the woods and I would talk about the crunch of leaves under our feet, the green trees with their rough brown bark, the sound of birds singing, the warm sun shining down and the cool breeze on our faces. And then we would usually run into an animal a la Beatrix Potter…Miss Bunny or Granny Goose or Happy Squirrel. They would invite us to have dinner in their little home in the trunk of the tree. We would imagine how it looked with the little round door, the glowing fire, the table made from logs, the candles, and the smells of wonderful foods being cooked in the kitchen. It would be a feast for the senses. We would have dinner and sometimes it would get late and we would be invited to stay for the night so we didn’t have to walk home in the dark. So after a wonderful dinner with pie for dessert, our stomachs were full and we would relax in front of the fireplace and then we would head to bed. The story would end as we climbed into fluffy soft feather beds piled high with quilts and we looked out the window at the moon. We would say good night. The story always ended with “…and Andy fell fast asleep.” And you know what, he really did fall fast asleep. It never failed.
It relaxes me just to think back to those stories. In this fast-paced crazy life, I know I often have a hard time being calm, whether it’s in the middle of the day at work or trying to fall asleep at night. Thoughts go racing through my head, I feel stressed, sad, worried. Gone are the days of writing a letter to customers and waiting for their reply. In today’s world, everyone expects an immediate reply. We are bombarded with technology…phones with messaging, Facebook, the internet, television. I have come to realize that what I did for my son every night was guided visualization, and that I can do the same thing for myself!
If I feel myself feeling overwhelmed at work, for example, I stop, take 5 minutes and do a quick guided visualization. Maybe I will go to the beach for 5 minutes and feel the sand on my feet and the warmth of the sun and hear the waves crashing on the shore. I do the same thing each night when I go to bed. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, I just let my mind go to a happy, relaxing place and feel and see and listen to all the calming experiences around me. I recommend you try this when you feel the need to find a feeling of peace and serenity, and you just want to calm your mind. You could even record something to listen to.
Here’s one to get you started:
Close your eyes. You are walking through the woods on a dirt path on a crisp fall day. You are bundled up in a big, cozy sweater and soft scarf. You feel happy and relaxed and comfortable. No worries, no place to be, no hurry. Now listen to the leaves crunch with each step you take. Feel the golden sunshine on your face as it eases the chill of the fall weather. Feel your hair fluttering lightly from the breeze. Notice the beautiful colors of the leaves–yellow, orange, brown, green, red. See the light filtering through the trees and sparkling. Look at the lazy way the trees sway in the breeze, especially at the top. A cardinal is singing in the background saying “pretty pretty pretty.” Take a deep breath and smell the deliciousness of fall in the air. Feel its refreshing coolness as you breathe it in and feel love radiating out as you exhale. You come to a bench. Take some time and sit and relax and notice the beauty all around you. Just linger here for a while. When you are ready, stand back up and continue along. The path is coming to an end. You are now back at the beginning where you started, feeling calm, rested, and ready to take on whatever comes your way.
It’s that easy! I love taking these little trips in my mind, and I think you will too. Use your imagination. You can go anywhere your imagination can take you. Try it! By the way, my son is in heaven now, but I still sing You Are My Sunshine to him every night before I fall asleep.
In loving memory of my beloved Andy…my only sunshine.