i have a special assignment for all of you who might be feeling empty at the moment maybe you're
feeling depressed or hopeless or a little bit lost or like things have gotten so bad that there just
isn't any good in the world anymore and this is one of my special guided relaxation videos
you don't need to even watch it you can just close your eyes and listen to it if you want
as i take you on a tour of experiences you've had in the past
not all the trauma and the bad stuff you can put that outside the door for now
what i'm inviting you to focus on as you listen is the good in the world and there is so
much good and when we give it our attention it has a way of seeping into us and resetting some
of the areas where we're sad and stuck and locked down and having trouble seeing any good at all
so this is an assignment i'm going to give you and i'm going to take you on a memory tour
of just a few of the experiences you've had and the people you've had the good fortune to
encounter who brought some good into your world so what i invite you to do is as you keep listening
is to get into a comfy chair or a sofa and settle in just very very comfortable and if you like you
can close your eyes if you're driving obviously don't close your eyes but you can go through
the guided relaxation exercise even while you're walking or driving or doing work with your hands
it's not going to be that deep of a traveling away you're going to be thinking of things
so when you're comfortable here's your assignment i'm going to be listing a series of positive
experiences that you might have had and i'll be inviting you to dwell on those for a little bit
and i'll go slowly so you have time to think and if i mention an experience you haven't had yet
that's okay just stay with the exercise i'll tell you what to do if that's the case and if
you want to stop at any time that's fine too so once you're in a safe spot just close your eyes
or not and just feel your trusty body in a state of rest maybe you have a few aches and pains or
something you don't like about your body but just for this moment give your body some appreciation
for all it does for you it allows you to live and breathe and be alive and if you're lucky it gives
you hands to gesture and touch to comfort people or pets kitties and doggies who you love and your
body allows you to express yourself with your voice and your facial expressions and your speech
if you have vision and hearing and taste and smell not everybody has them but whatever you have
you have the extraordinary power to sense your environment and this is no small thing your body
is good and it was made so that you could live and learn and bring good into the world so just
give some love and appreciation for a moment to your magnificent living body what a miracle it is
you may have criticisms of it and things that you wish would change about it but
set those aside and just feel what an instrument of good that you've been given in the form
of your body all right now i invite you to begin thinking about some of the other people
you've encountered in your life i know some people hurt you and that's part of your story and maybe
it's still hard for you but for the next several minutes i'm going to lead you in calling to mind
some of the dear people who brought good into your life and yes sometimes it's the same people who
also did some harm but all the same let's visit the good that's come your way think of someone
who once comforted you when you were sick or grieving or injured can you think of that person
were the little things they did the attention they gave you
the touch the reassurance did it help you go from a state of fear or pain to a cozy feeling of ease
did it help you know that you were safe to go to sleep and to heal inside
remember what a good feeling that was that person brought good into the world so just take a moment
to appreciate them for that now think of a person who introduced you to a work of art like a book or
a painting or a song that resonated for you in the most beautiful way and opened up your imagination
you hadn't known about that wonderful work before but someone who loved it and felt enthusiastic
shared it with you they brought something good to you and into the world by doing that
so just in your mind just take a moment and give thanks to the person who did that for you
all right now think of someone who praised you for your natural ability in something maybe when you
were a kid someone noticed that you were a fast runner or a responsible helper around the house
or that you were kind to the pets maybe the praise you received was later for a job well done or a
brave action you took or for a thoughtful gift you gave the person who praised you
helped you see what was good about you and that was their way to bring more good into the world
there is good in the world but some people have a way of bringing more
so think of someone who got you out of danger at some point if you're listening i know you didn't
always feel safe but was there someone who stepped in at some time and pulled you out of danger's way
they stood up for you against someone who was going to hurt you maybe or they taught
you how to protect yourself to fight or they pulled you back from a choice you made or were
about to make to go down some destructive path that person brought some good into the world
so just take a moment to acknowledge a time or two when this happened for your benefit all right next
i'd like you to think of someone who taught you a skill that helped you earn money being able to
earn money is such a gift right was it someone who taught you to use a computer or drive a car
did they help you be a good writer or a good builder or to be good at cleaning to
be a great leader to be good at caring for other people maybe to do something clinical for others
to do research to cook to be of service to others whatever has allowed you to earn money and eat
and keep a roof over your head give thanks for a moment to the person who taught you how to do that
you weren't born knowing that they taught you and they brought good into the world in this way
okay now think of someone who modeled for you
how to be a good and moral person now none of us are born with that knowledge but we learn it
from the people around us even if some of the people around us were doing bad things
there were other people in our midst neighbors teachers friends even characters on tv shows
were modeling for us how to navigate in the world and how to act with honor and courage and kindness
can you think of someone who modeled that for you in a way that impacted who you became
let's give them a moment of your silent appreciation for bringing good into the world
has there been someone who helped you get organized when life was overwhelming maybe
they gave you a place to stay or helped you with housework or helped you clean out a garage that
you couldn't even walk in because you had gotten so burdened with everything going on in your life
so let's take a moment to honor those people with your appreciation silently they brought good into
the world all right is there someone who defended you when you were unfairly accused of something
that's a terrible feeling and it means the world when someone stands up for you
so if that's happened for you hold them in your heart too
and is there a person or a group of people who introduced you to all the good things in nature
did they make you a nature lover did they teach you about animals and trees and water hold these
people in your heart they're very special thank them for bringing good into the world
was there someone who showed you how to stop drinking or using drugs right when
you couldn't do that yourself give great thanks to them maybe they did it for someone you love
helped them get clean and sober and that in turn affected your life we're all grateful for that
was there someone who fed you something delicious who made a holiday feel special that is bringing
good in the world take a moment to appreciate that person is there someone who helped you work
out your problems with another person a spouse a parent a child when we support other people
in having closer relationships and more harmony this is a big way to bring good into the world
is there someone who invited you over when you felt alone and gave you a place at their table
they brought good into the world let's thank them
was there someone who gave you a kind word when you felt ashamed and made you feel
reassured that you were going to be okay and be able to turn this around they brought good
into the world is there someone who encouraged you and helped you see that your life is important
and has purpose i want you to give special appreciation to them for bringing good into
the world and if you haven't yet met the person who does any of these things for you maybe for
some of them i'll tell you what you can do instead of thanking someone who hasn't done that for you
yet is you can be the person who gives that to someone else because that's the great secret
that when it's done for us it brings good into the world but whether it's ever been done for
us we can do it for others and bring good into the world and that good just bounces right back at us
as you think of all these good people it's almost as if there's been a council of angels who've been
with you all along the people who showed up when you desperately needed help and you thought you
had no one but also when you didn't think you need help and they were there for you anyway so here's
what i invite you to do just let it in let it in that even though your life has had its hard times
there have been good times and especially great kindness is done for your benefit by good people
who whether they knew it or not were bringing good into the world and because they did this good and
because it lifted you up each time it happened i encourage you now to take your place among them
to be one of the people who brings good into the world and as you heal from all the difficulties
and stresses of your past you'll have more and more space in your heart and in your
life to be aware of the good that's needed in this world and to let it come through you