I choose topics for this podcast for a few reasons. Sometimes one of you will send me a message asking for help with a specific challenge. Other times, the topic just seems timely, something I notice people are struggling with. And sometimes, if I'm being honest, it's a topic that's weighing on my own mind. Like this week's episode about making choices. About feeling stuck when all your options seem hard in their own way. I had to make a difficult decision this week, one that's been keeping me awake at night. And I felt stuck because every option had significant drawbacks. What made it even harder was knowing in my gut which choice was right. But it was also the hardest path. The one that needed me to step outside of my comfort zone. When I finally chose that harder path, in the end, I was genuinely happy with how everything turned out. And you might be facing some difficult choices. When we're faced with choices that don't have clear right answers, our minds can get stuck in endless loops of analysis. We weigh pros and cons until our thoughts feel tangled. And this mental spinning doesn't just tire our minds. It creates physical tension. And all of this makes sleep impossible. Tonight's episode isn't going to tell you which path to take. But what I can do is guide you towards your own inner wisdom. Those unshakeable core beliefs that when tapped into can make every decision feel clearer. We'll do this through a progressive body relaxation combined with gentle hypnotherapy. Using the power of the North Star as our guide. You'll discover how to access your deepest values. And how to listen to your body's wisdom. And as your body releases the tension of indecision, as your mind finds peace, you'll naturally drift into the restorative sleep you need. Before we begin, please make sure you're somewhere safe to fall asleep. This episode uses relaxation techniques designed to guide you into deep rest. So you want to be in your comfortable bed, not anywhere you need to stay alert. And I have a request. If you're listening on a platform where you can comment, please reach out. Let me know where you're listening from, how these episodes are helping, or if you have ideas for future topics. You can also reach me on social media, those links are in the show notes. I would love to hear from you. So now, let's help you find both the inner guidance you're seeking, and the restful sleep you deserve. Make yourself as comfortable as possible in your bed. If you can, lie on your back with your arms relaxed at your sides. So any position that feels comfortable is fine. Close your eyes and begin to notice your breathing. Don't try to change it yet. Just observe the natural rhythm of your breath as it flows in and out. Feel the gentle rise and fall of your chest. Slowly begin to deepen your breathing. Take a slow, full breath, filling your lungs from the bottom up. Hold that breath for just a moment, and then exhale slowly, letting all that air flow out naturally. With each exhale, feel your body settling a little deeper into your mattress. Notice how this conscious breathing begins to shift something inside you. Your heart rate naturally slowing. Your muscles starting to release their grip on the day's tension. Your mind beginning to quiet. Take three more of these deep, nourishing breaths. Inhale peace and clarity. Exhale all the weight of indecision. Inhale trust in yourself. Exhale the fear of making the wrong choice. Inhale calm certainty. Exhale the need to have all the answers right now. And now I'd like you to simply focus on the sound of my voice. Let yourself relax, allowing sounds around you to simply drift past. If you notice these sounds, that's fine. Just gently return to my words. We're going to use the power of your imagination to enter a deeper state of relaxation, moving you closer to that peaceful liminal space between waking and sleeping. Let your mind become open and receptive. And look up into the vast darkness above you. Imagine that you can see through your ceiling, through any barriers, directly into the infinite night sky. There, high above you, you can see the North Star, Polaris, shining with quiet, unwavering light. Picture this remarkable star as it truly appears. Not the brightest star in the sky, but steady and constant, like a lighthouse in the cosmic darkness. For countless years, people have lived longer, traveled farther, and found their way through uncertainty because of this star's reliable presence. The North Star doesn't shine the brightest in the sky, but it holds something far more valuable than brilliance. It holds constancy, while other stars seem to dance and shift across the heavens. The North Star remains fixed, a positive presence that never wavers, never doubts, never loses its way. As you gaze upon this ancient guide, notice something remarkable happening. The star seems to recognize your indecision, your need for direction, and it begins to respond. Gradually, the North Star grows brighter and brighter still, as if it's reaching across the vastness of space toward you. Now watch as this brilliant starlight begins to move, streaming down through the night sky, through your ceiling, which seems to become less solid, allowing this light to pass through freely. The starlight flows like liquid silver, finding its way through any opening in your blinds, any gaps in your curtains, gathering and pooling at your feet. This is a healing light, ancient and wise. As it touches your feet, feel them releasing all tension, all the weight of difficult decisions you've been carrying. The North Star's light flows over your feet like liquid silver. Feel it penetrating deeply, not just relaxing muscles, but transforming every cell, every nerve, every fiber. Your feet, which have walked through uncertainty, now rest in this healing glow. The luminous light flows upward to your ankles and calves, these strong muscles that have supported you through every step of your journey. As the star's healing energy moves through your lower legs, it draws out the tension of indecision, the ache of overthinking, the fatigue of carrying worry. The light continues upward, reaching your knees, those complex joints that allow you to move forward, to bend, be flexible in your approach to life. Feel its energy working here, dissolving stiffness, bringing healing warmth to cartilage and bone. Your knees release into profound relaxation, lighter and freer with each moment of this healing touch. Now the light rises to your thighs, those powerful muscles that propel you forward in life. As the starlight penetrates these large muscle groups, it doesn't just bring relaxation, it brings renewal. Feel cellular healing taking place, all tensions dissolving. The light carries a gentle message, remember the wise people in your life, those whose judgment you trust. They are your own North Stars, offering guidance when difficult decisions arise. The light flows into your hips now, the center of your body's movement and power. This is where you often carry the stress of major life decisions, the tension of uncertainty about which direction to take. Feel the starlight working deeply here, cleansing away the weight of your decision-making process. Your hip muscles release and soften. The light continues upward into your abdomen, that sensitive area where anxiety and worry so often gather. As the North Star's energy moves through your stomach, feel it drawing out the knots of stress, the churning of overthinking. This isn't just muscular relaxation, this is cellular renewal, healing energy flowing through every organ, every system. The starlight rises to your lower back, that hard-working area that bears so much of life's burdens. Feel the star's light penetrating each vertebrae, bringing healing energy to places that have held the weight of your worries. Your lower back releases into the mattress, muscles lengthening and softening, vertebrae settling into perfect alignment. The light whispers, some uncertainty is simply part of life. You cannot predict every outcome, but you can trust your steady moral compass. Like the North Star that has guided travelers for centuries, your deepest principles will always guide you well. Now the celestial light flows into your chest, surrounding your heart with its healing presence. Feel the North Star's light enveloping your heart in gentle healing, drawing away the tension, the rapid beating of anxiety, the tightness of fear. Your heartbeat slows to a peaceful rhythm, your chest expanding with each breath as healing energy flows through you. The starlight fills your lungs, not just with relaxation, but with renewed life forces, cleansing energy that flows with each breath. Your entire torso feels lighter now, freer, as if you're floating on calm waters under a starry sky. The light travels to your shoulders, those areas where you carry the weight of the world. Feel the healing light dissolving knots of tension. The light reminds you, you can always learn and adjust. Everyone has grown through mistakes, through choices that didn't turn out. And this is where wisdom comes from. The starlight flows down your arms, bringing renewal to your biceps, your forearms, drawing out the tension of clenching, of holding on too tightly to outcomes you cannot control. Feel your arms becoming heavy and peaceful. The healing energy reaches your hands and fingers, which have grasped so desperately for clear answers. Now they release, opening gently, soft and loose. The North Star's light rises to your neck and throat, areas where the stress of difficult decisions and difficult conversations of unexpressed fears often gather. Feel the gentle starlight dissolving the tightness. Finally, the light reaches your head, flowing behind your eyes, into your temples where the pressure of overthinking has built up. Feel the healing energy working through your mind, not just relaxing muscles, but cleansing away mental fatigue, exhaustion of weighing options. The North Star's message becomes clear. Make the best choices based on the information you have. And your own steady moral compass. Trust in your core values. Listen to your intuition. And seek counsel from those you trust. Your entire body now glows with healing light, from the crown of your head to the tips of your toes. Every cell has been renewed. Every burden of indecision lifted. Rest now and remember that within you lie core values as unchanging and reliable as this star itself. When faced with difficult choices, these values will always guide you well. They are your inner compass that points toward what truly matters to you. And here's something powerful you can do when faced with difficult choices. Visualize each possible outcome. Picture yourself walking down each path. And pay careful attention to what feelings arise in your body, what physical sensations each choice conjures. Your body holds wisdom too. It knows what aligns with your authentic self. The wisdom is inside you. It always has been. Sometimes you already know which choice is right, which one aligns with your deepest values, even when it's the harder path to walk. But you are strong. You have made tough choices before. And you have grown from each experience. Trust yourself. Trust yourself. Trust your ability to learn and grow from whatever choices you make. And if a choice doesn't turn out as you hoped, you're capable of learning, adjusting. This is how wisdom is born. Not from never making mistakes, but from learning and growing. Your breathing is naturally deepened and slowed. Each inhale brings fresh clarity. Each exhale releases any remaining tension or worry. Your body feels wonderfully heavy against your comfortable bed, as if you're sinking into the softest cloud. How good it feels to be here in this safe space, surrounded by comfort and peace. Feel the perfect weight of your blankets. Neither too heavy nor too light. Notice how your mattress seems to cradle your body exactly as it needs. Notice how your pillow supports your head with gentle care. You don't need to solve everything tonight. You don't need to make any decisions in the darkness. The North Star teaches us that some things are better seen in daylight. With a clear mind and rested spirit. In the morning, when you wake refreshed and renewed, everything will look clearer. Problems that seemed overwhelming in the darkness will appear more manageable in the light of day. Your thoughts are growing softer now, less distinct. Your mind is becoming like still water, perfectly calm, reflecting the steady light of your inner wisdom. You are so much stronger than you realize. You are wiser than you know. You have everything within you that you need to navigate whatever choices lie ahead. Let yourself drift. Like a leaf on gentle water. Trusting in the current that carries you toward sleep. Tomorrow you'll wake feeling refreshed and clear. Ready to face whatever decision awaits. But tonight, there is nothing you need to do except rest, knowing you are loved. You are strong. Sleep now, cradled by comfort and surrounded by the deepest calm. Sleep well, knowing that morning always comes, bringing fresh light to illuminate your path. Sleep now. Sleep deeply. Sleep well.