About This Practice
This practice is designed to address stress and overwhelm. It involves pausing to take a break from what is weighing on you so you can return to your tasks or responsibilities feeling a renewed sense of energy and capacity.
Return to this practice as frequently as you wish. It can be used in short periods of time (just a minute or two) or longer periods if your schedule permits.
The more frequently you engage with this practice, the more impact it will have. It may be difficult to separate yourself from the weight you're carrying at first, so please be patient and gentle with yourself through the process.
Steps
Pause
Take a moment to pause and ask yourself what feels heavy, stressful, or overwhelming right now. Settle in for a few breath cycles, taking note of the concerns that are weighing on you. Shift your focus from your concerns to noticing how you feel as an individual. Remind yourself that you are more than the responsibilities and stressors you are carrying.
Set concerns in a basket
Gently “set” your concerns in an imaginary basket. Feel free to mimic this with an actual basket if that helps with the illustration. Know that by setting the concerns in the basket you are not abandoning your responsibilities, but rather allowing yourself to reset.
Revisit the basket and select your priorities
After resting, revisit the basket and the concerns you placed in it with a renewed capacity to prioritize, discern, and act. You may choose to leave some things in the basket for a while while you tend to those you prioritize.