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This podcast is supported by FX's English Teacher, a new comedy from executive producers of What We Do in the Shadows and Baskets. English Teacher follows Evan, a teacher in Austin, Texas, who learns if it's really possible to be your full self at your job, while often finding himself at the intersection of the personal, professional, and political aspects of working at a high school. FX's English Teacher premieres September 2nd on FX. Stream on Hulu.
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Hello my beautiful people and welcome back to the moments podcast I've been all over the place and I also haven't recorded an episode just me by myself talking to you guys in a while So this is fun. Do I even remember how to do this? I don't know we'll find out but I was just in Mexico and I was on a trip with free people and first of all
The coolest experience ever. I have known and loved and shopped free people. If you guys follow me or have followed me for more than a week, you know this too. 90% of my closet is free people and it was just such a full circle. Dreams really do come true moment for me and...
It just made me think about a lot of things. And I don't know if you tuned in last week. If you didn't, I totally recommend you go listen to that episode because it was such a valuable episode for me to record, for my therapist to record. And it's very vulnerable talking about a lot of the tips that changed my life, I think, in the long term and in the long run. And...
If you've been looking for just advice or guidance on where to start on your mental health journey or how to make yourself feel better, I recommend you start there and you give it a listen. Sorry if you hear Beans scratching in the background. He got fleas, so we're trying to get rid of those. But anyways, now I'm distracted. Beans, no more scratching. Anyways, I wanted to...
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It's happening tomorrow and I got home at 2 a.m. last night so today's been kind of a grind day and I'm also getting this podcast episode recorded because Meredith is flying in tonight and I have to go pick her up from the airport so I need to be ahead because after she's here for a week I'm going to New York with my family and I'm so excited for all of these things but again having a lot of things on the schedule makes your mind go a little bit crazy. I'm sure you guys can tell in just my I don't know my energy right now but that's why I'm leading you through this meditation because I
I need to calm myself down and we're going to do it together. And I'm also making the goal of this meditation or the intention of this meditation is to just help yourself believe that you are on your path, that the timing is perfect in your life. Timing is everything. There's a lot of things that we wish would happen immediately right away that are really going to take so much time to come to fruition because they're not supposed to be on your path yet because God or Miss Universe, whoever it is that you talk to and you communicate with, whatever higher power you
is preparing you for what it is that you're going to get to achieve receive whatever whatever it is whatever you're looking for searching for it's going to come exactly when it's supposed to come and I'm sure that you can count times in your life that this has happened before you just have to be consistent with thinking it and believing it because when you put in this energy to the universe that's what you're going to get back so
Not sure how we'll start this episode, I guess. Come to a... I'm trying to think if I have anything else that I want to tell you guys before we get into it. It's not going to be a super long meditation. I'm not going to make you sit here for an hour. We're just going to talk through a few little things. And I'm going to go nice and slow. And we're going to ease into this together. And hopefully in the midst of all of this, I can calm my mind as well. Because...
We're all feeling, we're all human, and we're all here going through it together. So, quick intermission because I'm telling you guys about something that I absolutely love. We're all feeling, we're all human, and we're all here going through it together. So, allow yourself to just come to a seated position wherever you are. Maybe you're sitting in your car. Ideally not driving around because I want you to be focused. I want you to be in this moment. Or lying down on your bed, sitting down outside, walking in a park.
Wherever you are, where you can allow your mind to just be here and to be now. In whatever way is the most comfortable for you. A lot of people prefer to meditate sitting up. A lot of people prefer to meditate laying down. I like to lie down. It allows me to be a little bit more peaceful. Sitting up, I'm thinking about my back and how it hurts and all sorts of things. But wherever you are, take a deep breath. I want you to first inhale all the way in through your nose. I want you to feel your breath float up from your stomach to your chest to your throat.
and all the way up to your mind. Breathe it in. It should be vocal. And I want you to exhale out the mouth, releasing anything that you don't need that doesn't serve you. Again, you should hear it. You should physically, vocally exhale out the energy that's not serving you, the negativity, the insecurity, the self-doubt, whatever it may be. And I want you to move through four more of these breaths. And I'm happy to do them with you. Let's inhale together. Exhale, release.
And as you move through these breaths, I want you to allow the thoughts that are coming through your mind rushing in your brain exactly when you don't want them to be, to just float through. Don't necessarily try to push them away or run from them. Just let them be like a little feather floating on a river. As the river flows, the thoughts will flow too. They will move through and they will move out. You have to allow yourself to feel these thoughts and go through these emotions if you ever want to find yourself in the moment.
You have to feel it all to be present. Moving through one last big breath. Let's inhale everything that we need, that we want, that we deserve in this lifetime. Abundance, security, whatever you're searching for. And again, release what you don't. Just wiggling out your fingers and wiggling out your toes. Maybe making a fist, rolling out your wrists and ankles. Just becoming aware of your body, of each part of your body. Coming to stillness. Allowing your palms to face up.
You want to be receiving of energy. When we allow our palms to face up, we're saying we're willing to receive and accept and take it all in. Our palms down closes us off a little bit more. Now we're going to come to what's called ujjayi breathing. We're going to shift the way that we breathe. This is an inhale and an exhale through the nose. And as we inhale, same way, we're going to breathe in. We're going to be aware of our breath, focused on it.
And as you exhale, you're going to keep your lips closed, but you're going to pretend as if you were fogging up a mirror. It should sound a little bit like the ocean. You're constricting the back of your throat, something like this. I'm not sure if you can hear me based on where I have this microphone placed, but if you could, you should sound a little bit like the ocean. So now our mind is flowing, but we are present. Our body is still. Your heart rate should begin to decrease.
And you should feel a little bit of a sense of calm and stillness and mindfulness. And if you're new to any kind of meditation, just know that this doesn't happen overnight. Some days are going to be easier to find this mindset than others. But that's the beauty of it. It's something that we practice and we'll never perfect. We just continue working on it and doing our best. And if your best is only 30% today, you gave 100% of that 30%. Remember that.
This episode of the Moments podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp.
Quick little intermission, you guys. We all know how important it is to prioritize the right things in our life. And maybe for you, that's prioritizing doing leg day at the gym or making sure you go for your hot girl walk. But how often are you prioritizing your mental health and making sure that therapy is a part of your weekly routine? If it's something that you've been open to, if it's something that you've been considering, I highly recommend BetterHelp. And thank you so much to BetterHelp for sponsoring this episode. And I'll see you in the next one.
I absolutely love BetterHelp. I love therapy. I have talked about it over and over and over again. And that is for a reason. It is the greatest thing ever. Having an outlet and a person to talk to about what you're going through and getting unbiased opinions and advice is so, so beneficial.
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I'm on my path. And an intention is in a way a goal. What is it that you want to focus on and think about throughout this little meditation? What are you going to do with these mindful minutes? Where is your energy going to go? My energy is going to go to trusting that this is where I'm meant to be. This is what I'm meant to be doing. I am okay. I'm confident in my journey, in my path. And when you continue to think about these things, they will find their way to be true.
It's almost as if you're faking it until you make it. Taking moments like this to be still, to be calm, to be aware of everything going on in the mind and the body are what are going to move you forward in a positive direction in life. To help you feel more overall peacefulness and mindfulness and just happiness in general. It just brings you ease. And that's what we're all searching for. I truly believe that. So starting all the way in your toes, I want you to feel each one of them relax.
And this is where the mindfulness and the awareness really comes in. As I move through each of these body parts, visually feel the peace flowing through them and the stillness moving through them. Resisting the urge to move or scratch or move around in any way. Doing your best to stay still. But again, coming as you are, if you have to move, you move. But starting in the tiptoes, your pinky toe, your big toe, and all the ones in between.
Let them be here. Let them rest. Moving up through your right ankle, your left ankle, allowing them to be still. Each of your shins, your calves, finding this stillness, this relaxation. Moving up to the knees and the kneecaps, both the left one and the right one. The quads relax, the hamstrings, the glutes. The pelvis melts down into the earth, truly feeling connected to the earth if you're lying down.
moving through the lower back, thoracic spine, the lumbar spine, all the parts of the spine. Each vertebrae is sinking into the ground, becoming grounded and present. The stomach releases, the abdominals no longer clench, allowing the stomach to move up and down as you breathe. Feeling the breath move through the body, becoming aware of what our bodies are doing for us in each moment.
We are alive and we are breathing and although life can be so overwhelming at times, we have the opportunity to be here. And that is a blessing in itself. I believe the odds are something like one in four trillion that we exist now in this moment together. And that is a gift. That is something to be grateful for. And to also remind yourself that you are so uniquely made exactly the way that you are. You come from grandparents and great-grandparents and ancestors and people from
hundreds and thousands of years ago. You have their DNA. You are this incredible being who is one of a kind. Yet we all spend so much time trying to be like other people around us. Instead of being aware that our superpower is really just being ourselves, there's nothing more that we need to do or give or change to be good enough for anyone else or for ourselves. We already are good enough. Better than good enough. You are a unique gift.
Think about that as you move up to feel the chest release, the heart slow down. Maybe becoming aware of your heartbeat in this moment. Becoming aware of the love that you give and the love that you are given. Reminding yourself to keep an open heart, to be open to connection and relationships and friendships and connection. I'm not sure if I just said connection, but let's pretend I didn't. Double the connection and just allowing your heart to be protected.
Envisioning this little shield, a little bubble. Let's call it a bubble, not a shield. Because we want room for the good people. We allow our friends, our families into our hearts. But the bubble protects us from bad energy, from bad people, from things that don't serve us, from people who hurt us, and anyone who doesn't love you exactly the way that you are. There's no room for them. You have so many other beautiful things to love in this life, and that's another thing to focus on. Moving from your heart
I'm just feeling your ribs relax, your right shoulder, your left shoulder, your triceps and biceps just melt into the ground. Your elbows sink down, the right forearm, the left forearm, moving down to the hands, feeling the energy in your palms, listening for messages, for signs, for feelings, just becoming so present in this moment that you are open to whatever it is that's being handed to you.
and being aware that it's a different message for each of us, if any at all. Some days you'll feel nothing. Other days you'll feel everything. That's the beauty of meditation. The right palm eases as well as the left. The left thumb, ring finger, pinky, middle finger, index finger, they all melt. Can you feel anything in your fingertips? Maybe a vibration, maybe a little twitch, just things to notice.
Moving over to your left thumb, your left pointer finger, middle finger, ring finger, and your pinky. And continuing to just breathe. Staying aware of that Ujjayi breath. Reminding yourself if your thoughts are going all over the place that this will pass. This won't last forever. But push through the urge to move, to change your thoughts, to start thinking about what you're doing after this. Put in the work to be here and to be present. It'll make a difference in every aspect of your life.
Now relaxing the throat, reminding yourself that you have a voice, that you can speak your mind, that you deserve to stand up for yourself and to stand up for others. The back of your head either stays still or melts into the ground depending on how you're sitting, where you are, what you're doing. The lips are still. They can be slightly separated or together. The nose is calm. The eyes lay heavy. The eyes are closed. And as you're here,
I'd like you to envision your craziest dream, your craziest reality, whatever it is that you see as the best version of your life. Are you surrounded by family and friends and love and laughter? Things that make you smile and make your heart light up, your heart light up. People that make you belly laugh. Chasing your dreams and your passions and seeing them all finally come to fruition. Noticing that when you think about this vision, this best version of your life, chances are
You're not thinking about a Louis Vuitton bag or crazy amounts of money. You're thinking about the people in your life, the passion that you've finally been able to pursue. And I want you to notice that in every aspect of your life already. Take a moment to appreciate the moments that you have with your family, with your friends, with even strangers who make your day a little bit brighter. This is the best version of life. When this is what we choose to focus on, this is the beauty.
Now notice that this better version you're envisioning might not be something that you have today or tomorrow or years from now. Maybe you're in high school and you have four more years of high school and four more years of college before you can be anywhere near this version of your life. This is where the trust comes into play. The trust in God, the trust in the universe, to just be aware that divine timing is real. That yes, you have to continue to put the work in, but there are going to be uphill battles and failure and struggle.
And without each of these, getting to that best version of your life will never happen. Without the mix-ups and the mess-ups, there's no appreciation for what you've really achieved. You have to trust the process. You have to understand that everything really does happen for a reason. And if you don't know the reason yet, as Meredith would say, you're in the happening. And the happening sometimes lasts us weeks and months, and sometimes lasts us a day. It depends where you're at.
And I'd also like you to remember, while you're in this moment, that you're in a different chapter than everyone else in this life. You might even be reading different books. You never need to compare yourself to where someone else is at on their path. Just as we are all unique individuals made up of unique DNA from ancestors from hundreds of thousands of years ago, we also have unique paths that are going to vary from the people around us. And when you can remember this,
This will again help you find peace and confidence in who you are from within you instead of from without. This awareness and this understanding has to come from inside of you. Allow yourself to feel it now while you're still and while you're present. Allow yourself to feel appreciation for who you are and where you are instead of thinking of what it is that we don't have or what it is that you're chasing. Embrace the journey. Embrace every step along the way.
and embrace yourself at all stages. Treat her with love or him and kindness and gratitude because without this, we will never reach our full potential. And I will always say that. Everything comes from within and you have the power to come to that understanding. Now I want you to take the next five to ten breaths to sit in silence, to allow your mind to flow, taking into account everything that I've just shared with you and filled you in on and
the tools I've given you to think about and see what comes to your mind. This will be a different experience for each of you, but for about 10 breaths, I'm going to be silent and I'll be back. From here, I'd like you to find some awareness in your surroundings, remembering where you are. Sometimes in a deep meditation, I lose my state of mind. I'm like, "Where am I? When did I get here?" But just becoming aware of what's around you
the things you can hear and smell and feel and slowly bring that awareness down to your fingertips just beginning to wiggle them out your toes begin to wiggle beginning to find yourself back in this moment noticing wherever your thoughts took you and now bringing them back to here coming back to the intention and the understanding that you're right where you're supposed to be maybe rolling out the wrists letting the blood get flowing again rolling out the ankles
Giving yourself a big good morning stretch, you can reach your arms up, you can stretch your back, extend your legs. Again, this is all depending on how you were meditating, what position you were in. Do what feels good here. Let the energy get flowing through the body and the mind once again. And if you are finding yourself lying down, come up to a seated position. And if you're already in a seated position, maybe open the eyes. Take a few more deep breaths as we do a big inhale through the nose.
And we exhale out through the mouth, releasing anything that came through to you that didn't serve you in this meditation and taking in and absorbing all the information that did serve you or help you or just make you feel okay about where you are and what you're doing. Maybe rolling out the neck, the shoulders, hearing a little crack, whatever it may be. But taking a moment to be proud of yourself, to say thank you to yourself for taking that time to focus on you
Because as I always say, you are the only one that you've got in this long run of life. You deserve to treasure her and take care of her and treat her with compassion and reward her and tell her you're proud of her because it makes us all want to do a little bit more and helps us all feel a little bit better. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Whether you're selling a little or a lot.
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And thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for tuning in, for hanging out for a little meditation. That was actually the first time I've ever taught a meditation in years probably. And I didn't allow myself much time to think about it. I didn't really prepare. I just kind of went with my muscle memory and whatever was flowing through my mind in that moment. And I noticed a lot that I feel so much more peaceful than I did when I first started this episode.
i'm so grateful for you guys you really do pull me out of my shell i can't even lie to you but another reason i wanted to record this little meditation was because i've noticed it making a big difference in my life lately when we were in mexico on this free people trip we did a sound bath meditation and it was about an hour long it was so extremely healing for me it was one of those meditations i was able to fully fall into it and find
and presence and just be so zen, I guess is a good word that I'm looking for. And while we were doing it, my mind was just like teaching this yoga class to myself. I don't know why I was going through all of the memories I had of teaching. And I don't know, I felt like it was someone coming through to tell me
to get back to it. And I think that this is a good start for me to do so. I eventually want to be able to upload some yoga flows and all that because of how much of an impact yoga has had in my life. I don't know if you guys listened to the first ever episode, but I go super into detail on it there if you ever want to give it a listen. But yoga is something that's impacted me a lot. And I think that it can help us all, not even in just terms of like mentally. Physically, yoga is so good for the body and the joints and just working out.
working certain muscles that we don't even know exist but I won't super deep dive into that now I just felt really called back to it in my meditation in Mexico and that's just kind of an example of how God or the universe talks to me through meditations and just stillness and awareness and mindfulness and all of those little things it'll come through to you in different ways and the universe will tell you different things and it'll tell me
That's what's so special about it, and that's what makes it feel so sacred and close to my heart. But I really do appreciate you guys, and I really do hope that this meditation was able to help you understand that everything will come in the right time. Everything will come exactly as it's supposed to, and obviously I went through most of this in the meditation, but...
I don't want to talk your ear off, but just know the ups and downs and the waves and being stuck under the wave where you feel like you're drowning is part of that journey. And you will find a lot more peace when you can accept that instead of run from it. Allow the failures to inspire you, the bumps in the road to push you harder. And trust me, it'll all come when it's supposed to. You have to believe in yourself and you have to believe in those around you. And you have to just trust yourself.
Trust is my word of the year. I think I've been saying it so much and I don't even know who it is or what it is I'm trusting usually god, I guess but yeah Next week on the on the moments pod. We'll have my very very very best friend meredith on I am so excited for you guys to talk to her I know you love the episodes she's in so we're looking forward to it But let me know what you guys want us to talk about by the time this comes out I'll put like a story box on my instagram or something and we can chat but
I love you from the bottom of my heart. And thank you guys. If you want me to do more meditations or more yoga stuff, or if you want to give me any feedback on this, please let me know. I'm always open to it. You guys are my best friends. Please tell me everything you want me to know. I love you. And I'll talk to you soon. I'm feeling super zen. Might go jump in the ocean. Not sure if I have time for it, but we'll figure it out. I love you guys. Thank you so much for being here. And I'll talk to you next Monday.