Hey there, and welcome. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here with me today. You know, it's early Wednesday morning, and I'm betting some of you are already feeling that familiar knot in your chest – that tension that builds before the week really gets rolling. Maybe you've got a big meeting coming up, or perhaps it's just the weight of everything on your plate. Whatever brought you here, I want you to know that what you're feeling is completely normal, and we're going to work through it together.

Let's start by getting comfortable. Find a seat somewhere quiet, or if you're lying down, that's wonderful too. No judgment here. Go ahead and let your shoulders drop away from your ears. Notice if you're clenching your jaw. Most of us are, even when we don't realize it. So gently, let that softness come back to your face. Good.

Now, let's anchor ourselves with the breath. Breathe in naturally through your nose for a count of four. Hold it for just a moment. Then exhale slowly through your mouth like you're fogging up a mirror. Do this three times with me. Nice and easy. Already, your nervous system is starting to relax.

Here's what I want you to try today. It's something I call the "tension tour," and it's a game changer. Starting at the top of your head, mentally scan down through your body. Notice where you're holding stress. Is it your neck? Your lower back? Your stomach? Don't try to fix it yet. Just notice, like you're a curious explorer mapping new territory. When you find a tight spot, breathe directly into it. Imagine your breath is warm light, melting through that tension like butter on warm toast. Move down through your shoulders, your chest, your belly, all the way to your feet. Take your time. There's no rush here.

The beauty of this practice is that stress lives in our bodies before it takes over our minds. By meeting it there with gentle awareness and breath, we're essentially telling our nervous system that we're safe. We're in control.

When you're done, sit for just a moment and notice what's shifted. You might feel lighter. You might feel calmer. Or you might just feel a little bit more like yourself.

Here's what I want you to carry with you today: whenever you feel that stress creeping back in, pause and do a quick five-second scan. Check in with your body. Breathe into one tight spot. That's it. That's your anchor.

Thank you so much for joining me on Stress Relief today. If this resonated with you, please subscribe so you don't miss our next practice. You've got this.

For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

Hey there, friend. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here with me today. If you're tuning in on this Monday morning in June, I'm willing to bet you've already got about seventeen things competing for your attention before breakfast, right? Maybe your inbox is pinging, your schedule feels packed, or you're just carrying that low-hum anxiety that Monday mornings love to deliver. Well, you're in exactly the right place. Today, we're going to do something really special together. We're going to practice what I call the "reset pause," and it's going to help you find solid ground underneath all that noise.

So let's start by finding a comfortable seat wherever you are. You don't need anything fancy, just a place where your spine can be naturally tall and your shoulders can drop away from your ears. Maybe you're on your couch, at your kitchen table, or even in your car before work starts. Wherever you are is perfect. Now, take a moment and notice your feet. Feel them connecting to the ground beneath you. Really feel it. You're held. You're here.

Let's begin with three intentional breaths. Breathe in through your nose for a count of four, and exhale through your mouth like you're fogging a mirror. That's one. Do it again. Two. One more time. Three. Beautiful. You're already shifting something.

Now, I want you to imagine your stress as water. It's been pooling up in your shoulders, your chest, maybe your jaw. And what we're going to do is let it flow through you and down into the earth like a river. With each exhale, imagine that tension draining away. It's not about forcing it or fighting it. You're simply creating a channel for it to move through and out.

Breathe naturally now. In through your nose, and as you exhale, feel your shoulders drop. Notice any tightness in your jaw and soften it. Your belly, your hands, your legs, they're all just relaxing now, sinking a little heavier. You're safe here. You're exactly where you need to be. Continue for just a few more breaths in this space. There's no rush, no agenda. Just you, breathing, releasing, letting go.

And whenever you're ready, gently bring your awareness back to the room. Wiggle your fingers and toes. Open your eyes if they've been closed. Take a moment to notice how you feel.

Here's what I want you to carry with you today: that "reset pause" is always available to you. When stress starts creeping back in, even just one conscious breath can redirect your nervous system. You've got this.

Thank you so much for spending this time with me on Stress Relief. If this practice resonated with you, please hit that subscribe button so we can hang out again soon. Take care of yourself today.

For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

Hey there, friend. I'm Julia, and I'm so glad you're here on this Sunday morning. You know, early June can feel like that moment when spring's excitement crashes into summer's chaos, right? Everything's moving faster, expectations are piling up, and somehow your to-do list has developed its own to-do list. So today, we're going to press pause together. Not for long, just long enough to remember that you're still in control here. Let's do this.

Go ahead and find a comfortable seat, wherever you are. This could be your couch, your bed, even the kitchen floor if that's your vibe. The only rule is that you're somewhere you can just be for the next few minutes without feeling like you need to jump up. Take a moment to settle in, like you're getting cozy in your favorite sweater. That's perfect.

Now, let's bring some awareness to your breath. Not to change it yet, just notice it. Is it shallow? Deep? Fast? Slow? There's no right answer here. Your breath is doing exactly what it needs to do. And here's what I want you to know about stress relief, the real secret nobody talks about? It's not about making stress disappear. It's about changing your relationship with it. Your breath is your best tool for that.

So here's what we're going to do. I want you to breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four. Feel the coolness of the air, the gentle expansion in your belly and chest. Hold it for a beat. Now exhale through your mouth for a count of six. That's right, make it longer than the inhale. This signals to your nervous system that you're safe. That threat has passed. Do this again. Inhale for four. Exhale for six. And again. Inhale for four. Exhale for six. Beautiful. Keep going with this rhythm, and I want you to imagine that with each exhale, you're releasing something that doesn't serve you. Maybe it's worry. Maybe it's that conversation replaying in your head. Just let it float away like smoke.

Continue this pattern for the next couple of minutes, at your own pace now. I'll be right here with you.

And as we come back to normal breathing, notice how you feel. That shift you might be sensing? That's your body remembering what calm feels like. That's your superpower activating.

So here's your challenge for today. Pick one moment, just one, where you feel tension building. Maybe it's before a meeting or when you're stuck in traffic. Pause and do this four to six breath cycle, just five times. That's it. You've got a stress relief tool in your pocket now.

Thank you so much for joining me on Stress Relief today. If this resonated with you, please subscribe so we can do this together again soon. You've got this.

For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

Hey there, and welcome. I'm Julia, and I'm so glad you're here on this Friday morning. It's early, I know—that quiet time before the world wakes up and starts making demands. And maybe that's exactly why you're here, because you can feel it already, can't you? That little knot of tension that hasn't quite loosened from the week. The emails, the to-do lists, the people who need things. Today, we're going to unwind that knot together. So find yourself somewhere comfortable, somewhere you can just be for the next few minutes. No phone notifications, no interruptions. Just you and me and your breath.

Go ahead and settle in. Get cozy. Maybe roll your shoulders back a few times. Feel that? We hold so much stress in our bodies without even realizing it. Your shoulders are probably up by your ears right now, and that's okay. That's human. Let them drop. Let them remember what relaxation feels like.

Now, I want to teach you something I call the Five Count Release, and it's going to become your new best friend. Here's how it works: you're going to breathe in through your nose for a count of five, imagining that you're drawing in calm, cool air—like you're standing in a forest after rain. Hold it for a beat. Then exhale through your mouth for a count of five, and as you do, imagine you're releasing all that sticky, stagnant stress like water draining from a sink. Let's do this together.

Breathe in: two, three, four, five. Hold. Now out: two, three, four, five. Feel that? The way your body relaxes on the exhale? That's not just nice—that's physiology. Your nervous system actually responds to this rhythm. Keep going at your own pace now. In through the nose. Out through the mouth. Do this for the next few minutes. With each exhale, give yourself permission to let something go. A worry. A frustration. That thing someone said that stuck with you. Let it drift away like smoke.

The beautiful part about this practice is that it lives in your body now. You can use it anywhere—in your car before a meeting, in the bathroom at work, before bed tonight. Whenever you feel that stress creeping back in, you've got this tool in your back pocket. Five counts in. Five counts out. It's that simple.

So take one more conscious breath, and when you're ready, gently open your eyes. You did it. You just gave yourself permission to pause, and that matters. Thank you so much for listening to Stress Relief today. If this landed for you, please subscribe so you don't miss next week's practice. You deserve this. Take care of yourself out there.

For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

# Stress Relief Guided Practice

Hello and welcome. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here. It's early Wednesday morning, that particular moment when the week is still making up its mind about what it wants to be. Maybe you're already feeling the weight of things on your shoulders, or maybe you can sense it creeping in. Either way, you've made a beautiful choice to pause and meet yourself with some kindness before the day really takes off. So let's do that together.

Find yourself in a comfortable seat, or lying down if that feels better. There's no performance happening here, no medals for perfect posture. This is just you and your breath, doing something together that actually matters. Let your shoulders drop away from your ears, and notice what that feels like. Good.

Now let's start with something I call the anchor breath. Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four. Feel the cool air moving through your nostrils. Hold it gently for a count of four, noticing any sensations in your body. Then exhale through your mouth for a count of six, like you're gently fogging a mirror. That longer exhale is key, because it tells your nervous system that you're safe. You're not running from anything. Repeat that three more times with me. Inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for six.

Now we're going to practice something called the stress inventory scan. Keep breathing naturally as you bring your attention to your body, starting at the crown of your head. Is there tightness there? Your jaw? Your neck? As you notice tension, imagine it like ice that you're gently warming with a warm, golden light. Move that awareness slowly down through your shoulders, your chest, your belly. There's usually a place where we hold stress, like a secret we're keeping from ourselves. When you find yours, don't judge it. Just acknowledge it kindly. Say silently, I see you, and you don't have to work so hard. Keep breathing. Let that light move through your entire body, all the way down to your feet.

Here's the practical magic to take with you today. The next time you feel stress climbing up your back, pause and do just one anchor breath cycle. Four in, four hold, six out. That's it. Thirty seconds. Your nervous system will remember this moment and recognize that you know how to come back home to calm.

Thank you so much for joining me on Stress Relief today. I hope you feel a little lighter. Please subscribe so we can meet up again soon. You're doing the important work, and I'm cheering for you.

For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

Hey there, I'm Julia Cartwright, and welcome to Stress Relief. I'm so glad you're here on this Monday morning. Monday of all days—when the week stretches ahead like an unmade bed. Whether you're about to dive into back-to-back meetings, facing a full inbox, or just feeling that familiar tightness in your chest, you're in exactly the right place. We're going to spend the next few minutes together letting some of that weight lift. So find yourself somewhere comfortable, somewhere you won't be interrupted. You deserve this time.

Let's start by just noticing where you are right now. Not judging it, just noticing. Take a breath in through your nose, and as you exhale, feel your shoulders drop a little bit. Do that again. In... and out. There we go. You're already doing better than you think.

Here's what we're going to practice today. It's something I call the Stress Unraveling Breath, and it's my favorite because it actually works with your nervous system instead of against it. Think of stress like a tangled ball of yarn. We're not going to force it open. We're going to gently coax each strand loose.

Settle in now. Notice your feet on the ground. Feel that contact, that stability. Now, breathe in for a count of four through your nose. Feel your belly expand, your ribs widen. Hold that breath for a count of seven. Just hold it there gently, no tension. Then exhale slowly, very slowly, through your mouth for a count of eight, like you're blowing out birthday candles. That exhale is the key. The longer exhale signals your body that you're safe. That it can relax.

Let's do this together five more times. In for four... two, three, four. Hold it... two, three, four, five, six, seven. Now out slowly... two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Beautiful.

Again. In for four. Hold. And out for eight. Notice how your jaw feels a little softer now. Your breath steadier.

One more time, and this time, really feel it. In... hold... and release. Notice that little bit of spaciousness you've created. That's real. That's yours to keep.

Now here's how you carry this into your day. Before that first difficult conversation, before you open that stressful email—even if you only have thirty seconds—take one of these breaths. One. That's all you need to remember. Your body will do the rest.

Thank you so much for joining me on Stress Relief today. If this helped you, please subscribe so we can practice together again soon. You're doing great. Keep breathing.

For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

Hey there, I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here. Sunday morning, early June—I know this time of year can feel like a lot. Summer's creeping up, schedules are getting messier, and something about that transition just makes our nervous systems a little twitchy, doesn't it? So today, we're going to do something really grounding together. Just you, me, and about five minutes of actual relief.

Go ahead and settle in wherever you are. If you can sit down, wonderful. If you're still in bed, that works too. There's no wrong way to show up for yourself right now. Just make sure your spine has a little support, and your shoulders can drop away from your ears. Good.

Let's start by noticing your breath exactly as it is. Not fixing it, not forcing anything. Just observe for a moment. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Again. What does that feel like? Does the air feel cool on the inhale? Does your chest rise? Your belly? There's no performance here. This is just between you and you.

Now I want you to imagine your stress as something physical. Maybe it's a knot in your chest. Maybe it's static electricity humming through your shoulders. Whatever it looks like, I want you to breathe directly into it. Sounds weird, I know, but stay with me. As you inhale, send your breath like warm water flowing right toward that tight place. Hold it there for just a moment. Feel it. Then exhale and imagine that stress unraveling, loosening, melting down through your body like honey pouring out of a jar. It doesn't disappear, but it moves. It transforms.

Do this three more times. Breathe into the tension. Hold. And release.

Here's the thing nobody tells you about stress relief: it's not about erasing stress. It's about changing your relationship with it. That knot you just breathed into? It might still be there tomorrow, but you just proved to your nervous system that you can handle it. You can soften toward it. You can move energy through it.

So here's what I want you to carry into your day. Whenever you feel that familiar tightness creeping back, pause. Just for ten seconds. Put your hand on your heart. Breathe into that tight place like you just did. Give yourself permission to soften. You're not weak for needing this. You're wise.

Thank you so much for spending these few minutes with me on Stress Relief. If this landed for you, please subscribe so we can do this together again soon. You deserve to feel a little lighter.

For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

Well hello there, friend. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here. You know, it's early Friday morning as we record this, and I'm willing to bet you've got that familiar knot somewhere in your chest. Maybe it's work piling up, or just the accumulated weight of the week sitting on your shoulders. That's exactly why you're here, and I want you to know that what we're about to do together is going to help. So let's take a breath, settle in, and give yourself permission to pause for the next few minutes.

Find yourself a comfortable seat wherever you are. You don't need anything special, just a place where you won't be interrupted if you can manage it. Go ahead and get settled now. Good. Notice the weight of your body being held by whatever's beneath you. Feel that support. That's real, and it's here for you.

Let's start with what I call the reset breath. Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four. Hold it for four. Now exhale through your mouth like you're fogging a mirror, for a count of six. That longer exhale tells your nervous system that you're safe. Let's do that three more times together. Inhale, two, three, four. Hold. And release, two, three, four, five, six. Beautiful. One more time.

Now, here's where the magic happens. As you continue breathing naturally, I want you to imagine your stress as clouds passing through the sky of your mind. You're not trying to make them disappear. That never works. Instead, you're just watching them drift by. See how they change shape? Watch how they move without your permission or effort. You don't grab them or push them away. You let them have their moment and you let them go.

With each exhale, release one thing that doesn't belong to you today. Maybe it's someone else's mood. Maybe it's a worry about something you can't control. Let it float away like those clouds. You've got room inside you for what matters.

Continue this for a few more breaths on your own. I'll sit with you in this quiet moment. Just watching. Just letting things move through and past you.

As we come back, carry this simple practice with you. When stress knocks today, pause and remember those clouds. Take one reset breath. You've got this.

Thank you so much for spending this time with me on Stress Relief. If this resonated with you, please subscribe so you never miss a practice. You deserve this kindness. I'll see you next time.

For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

# Stress Relief Script

Hey there, I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here with me today. Listen, I know it's early Wednesday morning, and if you're anything like most people I talk to, you've probably already got a mental to-do list longer than a grocery receipt. Your inbox is probably pinging, your calendar is packed, and somewhere in there you're wondering how you're going to get it all done. Sound familiar? Well, you're not alone, and honestly, that's exactly why you clicked on this today. So take a breath. You're in the right place.

Let's settle in together. Find yourself a comfortable seat, somewhere you won't be interrupted for the next few minutes. Your phone is on silent, right? Good. Now let your shoulders drop away from your ears, and just notice where your body touches the chair or ground beneath you. That solid support is there for you, right now, always.

Here's what we're going to do today. We're going to try something I call the anchor breath technique, because stress loves to spin us into a thousand different directions. What we need is an anchor. Let's take a deep inhale through your nose for a count of four. Hold it for a beat. Now exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of six. That longer exhale? That's your nervous system's favorite language. It's basically telling your body, hey, we're safe now. Do this one more time with me. Inhale, one, two, three, four. Hold. And exhale, one, two, three, four, five, six.

Now that you're settled, I want you to imagine your stress like clouds passing through a sky. You're not trying to push them away or pretend they're not there. You're just noticing them float through. With each exhale, imagine one of those clouds drifting a little further away. You're here. You're grounded. The stress is just weather, and weather always changes. Keep breathing at your own pace now, that same four-count in, six-count out rhythm. Let your body remember this feeling.

So here's the real magic, the thing I want you to take with you today. When you feel that stress creeping back in, maybe during a difficult meeting or before you tackle that overwhelming project, just pause and do this. Four counts in, six counts out. Just once or twice. Your nervous system will remember this moment right now. It'll remember that you're okay.

Thank you so much for spending these few minutes with me on Stress Relief. This practice gets better the more you use it, so please subscribe and join me again tomorrow. You've got this.

For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

Hey there, and welcome back. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here with me today. Wherever you are, whatever Wednesday morning brought you—the emails, the to-do lists, the little knot in your chest that won't quite untie—I want you to know you're in exactly the right place. Let's take twenty minutes together and actually do something about that stress instead of just white-knuckling through it.

Find yourself somewhere comfortable, somewhere you won't be interrupted if you can. Sitting or lying down, however feels best. Let your shoulders drop away from your ears. Good. Now, take one deep breath with me. All the way in through your nose, and out through your mouth like you're fogging up a window. Do that one more time. Already, your nervous system is getting the memo that we're shifting gears.

Here's what we're going to do today, and I love this practice because it actually works with how your body processes stress, not against it. It's called the Grounding Release, and it's my secret weapon for those days when anxiety feels like it's living in your bones.

Start by bringing all your awareness to your feet. Feel them against the floor or the bed. They're literally holding you up right now, and they're rock solid. Notice the weight. Notice the contact. Now, imagine with me that all the stress, all the tension, all the stuff you're carrying today is like water. Dark water, heavy water, pooling in your chest and shoulders. As you breathe in through your nose, that water starts moving down through your body. Down your arms, down your spine, pooling lower and lower. And as you exhale through your mouth, you're releasing it. That water is flowing down through your legs and draining right out through your feet into the earth below you, where it's absorbed and transformed.

Do this with me. Breathing in, the stress moves. Breathing out, it drains away. In... and out. In... and out. Feel the subtle shift. You're not fighting the stress. You're simply redirecting it, letting gravity and your breath do the work.

One more round. Breathing in, collecting that weight. Breathing out, releasing it completely. Beautiful.

Now, here's the practical part. Carry this with you today. When you feel that familiar tension creeping back, pause for just thirty seconds. Feel your feet. Remember that you can release. Your body is not a trash can for your emotions. It's a conduit.

Thank you so much for spending this time with me on Stress Relief. If this resonated with you, please subscribe and leave a review. It means the world. You've got this. Be gentle with yourself.

For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT