Wake Me Up: Morning Positivity - Wake Up & Stretch - Love for All

Episode Date: August 15, 2022

This morning, wake your mind and body with mindfulness and yoga that will encourage love for yourself and others. Enjoying Wake Me Up? Get ad-free access to the entire WMU catalog + bonus content by joining the WMU Premium Feed. Sign up and start your 7-day free trial at https://wakemeup.supercast.com/. Follow the show on Spotify - Apple Podcasts - Podchaser Say hi or request an episode at www.wakemeuppodcast.com/contact. See visual guides for the yoga and stretches in WMU episodes at www.wakemeuppodcast.com/stretches. And find the podcast on Instagram and TikTok. **Only partake in the physical movements suggested in Wake Me Up episodes if you are physically able and in safe surroundings. All movements are done at the individual's own risk. Be safe, and always consult a doctor if you have any questions or concerns.** Have a wonderful day 😃 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 great day. This week's episodes are all about spreading love to everyone and everywhere you go. What if you could be a beacon of love. love in the world, emanating appreciation and support for others.

Don't you think that would make the world better for everyone, even yourself? Well, you can be that person. We all can, and this week's episodes will encourage that. Now let's get started. I recommend you do this episode starting from bed, but if you're already up and about, that's just fine too. Wherever you are, just pause for a moment. Take a deep breath in, filling all the way into your lungs, hold it at the top, and exhale. Once more now, inhale, filling even deeper this time.

Hold it and release. Now, think of a reason you love yourself. It can be anything, a skill you have, a personality trait, or even a good joke you told one time. Smile. And remember that you are awesome. Appreciate that. And take a big breath in to enjoy it.

So inhale, hold at the top, and exhale. Great. Now, think of a reason you love other people in the world. Like you, maybe some people have a skill you admire. an enjoyable personality trait, or you've shared a good laugh with them before. Smile and remember all there is to enjoy about sharing life with others.

Appreciate that. And take a breath in to fully enjoy it. So inhale, hold at the top, and exhale, release. We are all so interdependent. We rely on each other, both for survival and enjoyment. What if we approach our interactions in life with appreciation? What if you started every conversation by thanking the other person, just for being them?

I know it sounds like it might be kind of awkward, but you know just as well as I do that starting a conversation by thanking the other person would break down so many barriers. So why not try that today? And just do it in your head. You don't have to say it out loud. But every time you interact with someone, silently thank them. I bet it will positively affect your interactions today. So give it a try if you'd like,

and let me know how it goes. Send me a message through the website or on social media. I'd love to hear it. Now, why don't we get up and show our bodies a little love? with some stretches. So once more, take a big inhale, appreciating every sip of that air.

And exhale, release. 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 our stretches. And as always, just a quick word of warning. Don't stretch if you're not able. Feel free to do a different stretch than ones that I suggest.

And if you ever need to adjust or do something a little bit differently, you should. If you're ever confused about a stretch or you'd like a visual guide, you can find a link to that in the show notes. Today's stretches will mostly focus on heart opening, expanding the chest and shoulders, which is not only good for posture,

but it also opens the heart to the world, at least metaphorically. And we'll start by loosening everything up with some arm circles. So stand up straight. Relax your shoulders down. And we'll start with the right arm first. Drawing it in big circles, nice and slow.

All the way around your range of motion, like your arm's a windmill. And maybe you have some creaks and pops. I know I sure do first thing in the morning. And that's all right. Just go slow and work through it. Once you've done a couple of circles in one direction, pause, and go in the opposite direction. Nice and slow.

Again, really working all the way around your range of motion. And make sure you keep breathing while you do this. As we expand the muscles, we want to deliver oxygen to them too. All right, relax your right arm down. And let's switch to the other side. Taking your left arm and drawing big circles with it. Forward, up, back, and down, all the way around. Once you've done a few circles in one direction, pause, and do a few more in the opposite direction.

We want to make sure that shoulder gets loosened up evenly. Okay, now relax your left arm back down. Reset for just a second. Next, we'll open up the chest with a few backbands, and we'll be breathing and moving the arms in time with this. So start with your arms down by your sides. Inhale and reach your hands out to the sides as far as you can on the way up. Looking up to the skies as you do this, and that will naturally create a backbend.

Really open through the chest as you go. And once your hands are at the top, directly above your head, hold, exaggerate that backbend, and then exhale, release your arm. back down by your sides. We'll do this two more times. So inhale, reaching your arms out wide, on the way up, looking up towards the ceiling as you do, opening across the chest,

and when you get to the top, exaggerate that back bend, and then exhale, release. Once more now, inhale, reaching the arms out wide, really expanding across the chest, back bend at the top, And exhale, release. Right, fantastic. Our last stretch will be my favorite, a forward fold. Let's go slow and let's add that same backbend at the top.

So inhale, reach your hands up, reach as far as you possibly can. Add a little backbend at the top and then exhale, fold forward at your waist. Let everything soften towards the ground. And just relax here. Breathe. You can even close your eyes for a moment if you want. Appreciate this time for yourself. It's time to take care of your body before the day begins.

Let's take a full cycle of breath while we're here. So inhale, filling up as deeply as you can. And then exhale, release. Now slowly roll all the way back up to standing. and when you get there, roll your shoulders up, back, and down. Fantastic. Well, that's all for today's episode. I hope your body and your mind are nice and warm and ready for the day. Remember the challenge I gave you. Every time you interact with someone today, silently thank them just for being them, for existing.

And see what that does to both your mood, and your interactions. Let me know how that goes. I'll see you back here tomorrow for our meditation. And until then, I hope you have a fantastic day.