Wake Me Up: Morning Positivity - Wake Up & Stretch - Good Intentions Go Far

Episode Date: August 22, 2022

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If you'd like to enjoy Wake Me Up completely ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content, check out the link in the show notes for the Wake Me Up Premium Feed. Good morning. Welcome to Wake Me Up and to this wake-up and stretch episode, where we'll get out of bed and prepare the mind and body for a good day. This week's episodes are focused on a central theme, and that is coming at life with good intentions. When our intentions are good, we'll find ourselves in good places with good people.

And even if we mess up or make a mistake, people will see that our intentions were proper. They'll be more understanding. And simply put, if your intention is right, then you can't go wrong. So let's get started. I recommend you start this episode from bed. But if you're already up and about, don't worry. That's just fine too. wherever you find yourself right now.

Just pause for a moment. Take a deep breath in, filling up with all of the opportunities in this day. Hold at the top and then exhale. Once more, inhale, filling all the way up. Hold and release. Now think of an intention that you'd like to set for the day. Make sure it's a positive one.

frame it in a positive way. It can be as general or specific as you'd like. And try to form it into a single sentence. I'll give you a little time to do that. Now that you have that intention, just let it settle in for a moment. Allow it to be your anchor and your focus for the day. Take a deep breath in

and collect that intention in your body and your mind. hold it and when you exhale repeat your intention either out loud or in your mind once more now inhale collecting that intention hold

and exhale saying that intention either out loud or in your mind so now that your head is settled on this positive intention your day will begin to fall in place around it and if you get off track at some point

and that's okay. Just remember your intention. Come back to it. And use it to re-center and refocus yourself. It's just like we would do in meditation. When your mind wanders away from the center of focus, you just acknowledge that and bring it back. It doesn't have to be a big deal,

and you don't have to beat yourself up about it. I have no doubt that if you stick with your intention throughout the day, you'll be able to fully bring it to life. So why don't we get up and start doing that right now with a few gentle stretches to wake the body? So once more, inhale, appreciating every sip of that air. Exhale, release, and if you're in bed, roll over and make your way to standing up.

All right, now that we're all up and out of bed, let's turn to some stretches. And as always, just a quick word of warning. Don't do any stretch if you're not able to. And my stretches are just suggestions. Feel free to modify or do something completely different if you'd like. If you're ever confused about a stretch where you'd like to see a visual, you can find a link for those in the show notes.

Today, we'll start with a few standing stretches, and then we'll transition to a few on the ground. So if you want to do that on a softer surface like a mat or a mat, a carpet, then find your way there now. The first thing we'll do are some standing side stretches. So place your feet firmly on the ground, about shoulder distance apart. Interlace your hands in front of you and keep them held together like that throughout these side stretches. Inhale and raise your hands up over your head. Once you get to the top, exhale and reach your hands up and over to the right. really reach towards the top corner of the room.

You'll feel it down the left side of your chest and your torso. Take a full cycle of breath in. Now exhale, lower your hands back down to your waist. We're going to do that again on the other side. So inhale, hands together, reaching them up and over your head. And once you get there, exhale, reach up and over to the left. You'll feel that stretch down the right side of your torso. this time. Inhale. Now release and let your hands fall back down. Once more on each side. So inhale,

reaching your hands up, really stretch through the shoulders. And once you get to the top, exhale and reach up and over to the right. Hold it there. Take a full cycle of breath in and out and release your hands back down. Last time, inhale, reaching up, really reaching through the shoulders. And when you get to the top, reach up and over to the left. Reach as far as you can. One full round of breath,

inhale, and exhale, release your hands back down. Great. Now, let's do a couple of forward folds, and on the second one, we'll make our way to the ground. So inhale, hands up to the sky, reach all the way out of your shoulders.

You can add a little back, bend at the top if you'd like, and then exhale, fold forward at your waist. Let everything fall towards the ground. Just let it go. I like to have a little bend in my knees, especially first thing in the morning, because it helps to open up your hamstrings and your lower back and slowly roll all the way back up to standing. When you get there, inhale again, reaching your hands immediately to the sky. Add that little back bend if you'd like. and then exhale, fold forward. We'll hang out here at the bottom for a little bit this time.

So just relax. Soften your neck. Soften your face. You can sway side to side a little bit. Do anything you'd like. One full round of breath here. Inhale and exhale. Now slowly bend your knees, place your hands on the ground,

and carefully make your way to all fours. So your hands, Hands and knees are on the ground. Hands are directly below the shoulders. Knees are directly below the hips. And we'll do a few cats and a few cows here. So inhale, looking up, arch your back down towards the ground. That's cow.

Really exaggerate that curve in your back. Now exhale, press your hands firmly into the ground. Drop your head and arch your back up. That's cat. Again, really exaggerate that spinal stretch. One more time through, inhale to cow, looking up, arching your back down towards the ground. Exhale to cat. Looking down and arching your back up.

All right, release and come back to a neutral spine. Give yourself a little wiggle side to side or anything like that. Just a reset. And the last stretch we're going to do is child's pose. So from where you're at, all you need to do is drop your bottom down towards your feet. You can spread your knees apart a little bit if you'd like. That'll help to open up your hips. Lower your chest and your head to the ground.

As far as you can go while making sure it's still comfortable. And just relax here. Breathe. And you can close your eyes if you'd like. allow yourself to just slowly sink deeper and deeper into this stretch. And take this moment to remember the intention that you set earlier. How might you encourage yourself to stick with that intention throughout the whole day? Maybe you want to write it down and keep it in your pocket.

Or you could set a reminder on your phone. Remember that a positive intention like the one you've set shines through all. even a cloudy and stormy day. So I hope you keep that intention with you and use it to make the most of the day ahead. But that's all for now. I hope you're awake, loose, and ready to take on the world. I'll see you back here tomorrow for our meditation.

And until then, go out and have a fantastic day.