Welcome to First This, a short mindfulness practice and message for any time.

I'm Catherine Nikolai. I'm glad you're here.

Let's start by getting comfortable.

You can sit or lie down or slide your legs up a wall.

Just adjust your body so that you can be mostly still for the next few minutes.

You can even pause this if you need to and start it again when you're ready.

Once you're there,

let's take a deep breath in through your nose

and sigh it out through your mouth. Nice. Let's do one more. Breathe in and out.

And out. Good. Now for the next minute or two your only job is to notice the touch of your breath on your upper lip

see if you can on your upper lip.

See if you can feel it right now.

It might be subtle.

Natural breath coming in and going out. You might notice that it feels slightly cooler as it enters your nostrils and somewhere else, see if you can, without starting a story about why. It doesn't matter why.

Just go back to noticing the very next breath.

And the one after that.

Don't force.

Just allow.

I breathe in and I notice it.

I breathe out and I'm aware.

Now let that awareness of breath move into the background of your mind and senses.

And let's bring up the lights on this simple idea I have for you today.

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