Welcome back to Picture Love, Friends. If you have listened to any of the last couple episodes, you may have heard me mention, I created something new. It was a bit of a spontaneous creation. These are little affirmation cards that I printed for myself and didn't know where they were going. I just knew that I'd identified some areas where I would like to receive some support and. Me being an encourager, I always love putting positive thoughts out there, but these affirmation cards are targeting areas where I've either noticed somebody talking to me about subjects where they wanna see some growth or improvement in their lives, or I'm currently working on them myself, or a combination. Combination of both. That being said, I found myself recording a guided meditation with a little bit of space for you to reflect and use your own words and your own thoughts in the middle, and I love it so much, I'm gonna share it with you here. It's all inspired by this deck. I'm creating the Alchemy AFirmations with the intention of, we get to choose how we frame our thoughts, our beliefs, our experience, and we get to choose where we wanna make lemonade and where we wanna taste the sour juice of a lemon. Metaphorically speaking of course, but I'm just here to let you know if you are driving that, that is what this episode is today, and you might want to save it for later on. And if you are in a place where you can choose a quiet seat and partake for the next 10 or 11 minutes, this will be a little treat for you, you can enjoy right now. Let's dive right in. This container is clear of distractions and outside concerns. The next 10 minutes are a gift you give yourself to Picture Love through this guided timeout from the Alchemy AFfirmations Collection. Find a quiet place to sit or lie down somewhere you won't be interrupted. For the next little bit, silence your phone if needed. When you're ready, here is today's card. "The Pause Between Stories: I rest in the space between, trusting what is becoming. Progress is often made before it is seen." If you're ready- Take a deep breath and let's begin. Feel the ground beneath you. Feel rooted in your chair, in your seat. Feel your feet on the ground. Appreciate the steadiness of the surface that's holding you. As you continue to take a deep, slow breath, hold it for just a moment longer than usual. And feel the air nourish your entire body. And as you let it out, notice what in your face can let go. Relax your forehead, relax your jaw. Relax your throat, your neck and shoulders. Notice how easy your lungs can fill with air and linger in that space and feel your heart faithfully pumping. Faithfully serving you. And as you continue to take that delicious deep breath, notice the air, notice your pulse. Let your arms intentionally let go. Relax your hands. If you have fists, let them unclench. If they're open, see if they can let go just a measure more. A deep breath invites opening in your waist, in your ribs. Notice the muscles in your ribs. Can they let go a little bit more. Notice all of these spaces. And how they can fill with air and how each one can speak to you as you continue to breathe in and let it out. Notice your hips. They hold so much for us. They're waiting for us to let go. Notice your legs. Can they relax? Starting in your thighs, and think of it like tension melting out of you. Your knees relax and your kneecaps behind your knees, where your lymph is busy working behind the scenes, the air and nourishment that circulates down your calves and your shins through your intricate ankles and to the vast network in your feet. And with every breath, you can fill your lungs with air. And as you release, imagine the air is circulating through all of these spaces, gradually letting go more and more. And as you enjoy the openness of all of these spaces ask yourself, what is the space that I am sitting in in my life right now? What is the space that I call "here"? Can I feel that space without any resistance? Consider being that bird up above. With that bird's eye view of you and where you're positioned in your day. And see it all in a big picture. See how it's ever moving, ever changing. Just like the tides of the ocean coming in and coming out. And the one thing we can count on is our breath and the certainty of change, because every breath is a new creation. Receiving it with space, honoring that space that's holding your breath. Honoring the space that receives your exhale. There is so much we think about during the day, and by turning within, we get to notice what's important to us right here and right now. What can we trust in ourselves right now? What can we observe without any expectations, without any agenda, other than to just observe? Let's look at ourselves from that bird's perspective. No, right? No wrong. Just becoming. And trust that every breath is one breath closer to what we are becoming. Notice your pulse rushing through your body with every breath. Notice if you can feel it in the top of your head, can you feel it in your chest? Can you feel it in your elbows? Can you feel it in your back? Notice that pulse. Notice that rush. That is your vitality. That is your breathing. That is your becoming and progress is being made. Progress is working for us and through us, and all we have to do is show up and be. What is one comforting thought you can give yourself today about progress? Maybe it is "I am making all the progress I need to, Right on time". Or maybe it is, "I am the progress I need right now." Whatever's in that space that deserves to be honored, that deserves to be seen, that deserves to be claimed that this peace and quiet inside of you right now can let you notice. Tell yourself what is that beautiful noticing, waiting for your awareness as you breathe in and you breathe out? And now let's just sit in a breath for a brief moment and see what else we discover within. And as your day goes on. Carry that one thought with you. That space may continue to speak to you as time unfolds and any time you need to come back to the soft awareness, this soft space in between, remember, it is just as important as every measurable result we see in the world and in our days. Let this settle gently. As you begin to move your feet, your hands, and take a fresh breath, there's nothing to analyze, nothing to perfect. Just carry your one intention with you as you move on. If you'd like more support like this, you can find longer conversations and guided experiences on the Picture Love podcast. Until next time, keep Picturing Love.