That's space, Julia.

Hi, it's Sam here.

Welcome to Radio Headspace and to Monday morning.

So lately, I've had more of my plate than usual, juggling work and my personal life.

And as a result, I've been leaning heavily on self-compassion and offering it as a tool to people seeking help with their difficult emotions.

And this got me thinking about the central question of self-compassion, which is, what do you need?

When we ask ourselves this question, we're asking the part of ourselves that gets overridden by the busyness of our lives.

And there's often a deep sense of relief, just from being asked.

When I ask myself this question, sometimes there's an answer about an immediate need, like sleep or rest.

And at other times, the answer is broader and harder to address, like the need for reassurance.

Sometimes there's no answer, but there's still a sense of relief knowing that I'm giving my mind space to explore the question without any demands for an answer.

One of the needs that arose from my intuition lately is a need for more structure in my life.

I have quite a bit of flexibility in how I manage my work and my time.

And this can lead to a lack of consistency and key daily habits, like my meal times and my sleep schedule.

In the past, I've been resistant to routines. I fear that I'd become bored and life would just start to feel monotonous.

But now I know that they can help me live more healthfully and preserve the vital energy that I need to be creative and present.

So I'd love to share a meditation with you that's centered on self-inquiry.

Self-inquiry practices involve grounding ourselves in the present moment, and then asking ourselves a question,

with openness, curiosity, and acceptance of whatever emerges.

First, you'll want to find a space where you know you'll be uninterrupted, and I also recommend setting a timer for the meditation practice.

And the amount of time can be up to you, whether it's five minutes or twenty minutes.

Having a set amount of time provides psychological safety, knowing that the process won't drag on and interfere with other tasks of your day.

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