The Therapy Edit - On ‘let’s take a 10 minute walk together to reset’

Episode Date: December 19, 2022

In this solo episode of The Therapy Edit, published in the week of Christmas 2022, Anna invites listeners to step outside, put their headphones in, and take a walk with her.

Hello and welcome to the Therapy Edit podcast with me, psychotherapist Anna Martha. I'll be bringing you weekly 10 minute episodes to encourage and support your emotional well-being. Hello, welcome to today's episode of The Therapy Edit. It's a solo episode today. And what I want to do in this 10-minute episode is to walk with you. This is one to bookmark for moments in which you just need some downtime, some breathing space, some words of encouragement and grounding over the festive period. So if you haven't got your shoes on already in your coat, then get that sorted, pause it and then come back to me and then head out. So I'm going to imagine that I am walking with you. I'm going to imagine that we're walking together, whether it's through your local

streets through some woodland, perhaps you've got the dog with you, maybe you've got a child in a buggy sleeping. And we're going to spend these 10 minutes just breathing together. I want to talk to you with some words of encouragement and grounding, things that I might be able to share to help affirm how you're feeling right now, whether you come to this podcast feeling overwhelmed. Maybe things just feel complicated. Maybe family dynamics have been stood up and feel really tricky and heavy. Maybe you're feeling low, sad. Maybe you're just feeling way down by the pressure. Maybe you've actually had a really fun time and just need to step out for a moment to get some fresh air.

So we're going to start off just breathing in for four. So I want you to take a big, deep breath as you walk. I want you to breathe in for four, two, three, four. And exhale for six, three, four, five, six, one, two, three, three, three, three, three, four, three, four, five, six. Now if you can continue on that rhythm of breathing where that breath in goes deep into your core and that exhale is an opportunity to breathe it all out,

to really feel that moving out of your body. Whether you're swaying your arms in a rhythm or you're pushing the buggy, just notice the rhythm of your steps, the rhythm of your body. Let them be almost meditative. And you might like to think of all those things that you're breathing out. Perhaps you're breathing out that overwhelming feeling of pressure. Maybe you're breathing out just the energy that feels quite pent up even when things are fun.

What do you want to release with those out breaths as you continue to. breathe through the next few minutes as you continue to notice the rhythm of your body, the sound of your feet upon the floor. You are here. This is what is happening. Draw your attention to this very moment, the sounds, the sights, the smells, the air filling your lungs. This is where you are and I want you to notice all those different feelings and thoughts that are rushing through your mind right now. They could be really mixed. We can feel many different things at once. Perhaps you're feeling immense gratitude. Perhaps you're also feeling frustration. Maybe you're carrying some irritation at something someone said earlier today or the way that

someone dealt with it. Perhaps there was some frustrated words exchanged. Now, notice the feelings that you are experiencing know that you are not those feelings you are the observer of them if our thoughts are not facts then who are we if we are not our thoughts we are the one that is observing them now don't judge them don't tell yourself that you shouldn't be feeling that you should be feeling this if you're grateful you shouldn't be experiencing that don't we know that we love that person therefore we shouldn't find that hard don't judge your feelings just notice them it's likely that you're just simply having a human response to the circumstances things are complicated aren't they that's the simple thing about it and the more we judge

our feelings the more likely we are to invalidate them now i want you to think about what needs you have as you breathe, what needs perhaps have not been met? Are you hydrated? Have you slowed down enough? I know that this time of life feels so fast and I described it the other day that it's like a treadmill that's stuck on at a speed that is too fast for me and I cannot find the slow button. I cannot find the button to slow it down. If you are feeling like that, then this moment is important. be doing this a little bit more where you can and I know that it can be a big thing sometimes to ask those around you to accommodate you heading out for 10 minutes but I want you to think when you do get home what this 10 minutes has given you how perhaps it might have shifted something in you

or just acknowledged how you're feeling amongst everything that's going on now I know that often the thoughts are, well, everyone is so busy. I don't want to reach out to that friend or that family member that grounds me, that encourages me. But this is relationship. It's important. A simple short exchange might help you if you're feeling lonely. If you're feeling overwhelmed, what are you feeling overwhelmed by? Information, people, noise. Now the antidote, to that is finding small ways to seek the opposite. If it's information that you're feeling overwhelmed with perhaps you're heading to your phone in those moments where, you know, things are just feeling tricky and actually what you're doing is consuming more. How might you perhaps pick up

a book instead do something different? So it's not to overload yourself. If it is noise that is feeling a lot, what is it that you need? How can you seek a little bit of quiet or kind? Now, if you're feeling misunderstood, who can you most be yourself around? Which friend or family member? How do they make you feel? What would they say to you in this moment to validate and encourage you? Might it be possible to reach out to them? If not, just bring to mind how they make you feel, those people that you can be yourself around. Now, as we finish and start heading home, I just want you to pause on this walk and notice something, be it a tree trunk, a flower, some green grass, and touch it if it feels appropriate.

I do this sometimes on my walk, just kneel down and put my hand in the grass. Just notice these things, notice the detail, help ground yourself in this moment. Now breathe in, make sure that you're continuing that breathing. as you move towards your house, recognizing the rhythmic nature of your steps on the ground, that solid ground. It would be really lovely to notice that if you're feeling unanchored. Now, finally, if you're feeling disturbed or disrespected,

what can you do to state or assert a boundary? This might be the reason that you've headed out for a walk, perhaps. Who can you talk to, who might help you entangle any difficult conversations that you've had today and validate the feelings, be on them. Now, how might you show yourself some kindness and gentleness in the way that you would with your children, if they had all these feelings buzzing around, extend yourself some kindness and gentleness. Keep leaning on that grounding breath when you need it throughout the day. I hope this has been helpful. You're doing a great job. You're doing a great job.

of if it's hard, it's probably because it is. Feel free to come back to this whenever you need it. And I would love to walk and talk with you again. Thank you for listening to today's episode of The Therapy Edit. If you enjoyed it, please do share, subscribe or review because it makes a massive difference to how many people it can reach. You can find more from me on Instagram at Anna Martha. You might like to check out my three books, Mind Oven Balder,

know your worth and my new book, The Little Book of Calm for new mums, grounding words for the highs, the lows and the moments in between. It's a little book you don't need to read it from front to back. You just pick whatever emotion resonates to find a mantra, a tip and some supportive words to bring comfort and clarity. You can also find all my resources, guides and videos all with the sole focus of supporting your emotional and mental well-being as a mum. They are all 12 pounds and you can find them on anamatha.com. I look forward to speaking with you soon.