(Intro — Solo Piano, Soft Synth Pad, Male Hum) Mm... mm... mm... Mm... mm... mm... (Piano plays one note. Silence. Another note. Synth pad swells underneath.) (Verse 1 — Female, Whispered) You're right that stress can't be avoided But it can be managed, slowly For someone with CFS, the challenge is greater Your energy is already limited, already low (Piano. Celesta. Male hum underneath.) The usual advice doesn't work for you Exercise more, do more, push through That's not only unhelpful, it's harmful too You need gentle strategies that work with you (Ambient strings enter. Male hum rises.) (Pre-Chorus — Building) Breathe in seven, out eleven Activate the calm inside Breathe in seven, out eleven Let the nervous system glide (Strings swell. Male hum swells.) (Chorus — Warm, Soothing) Do less, more gently Find the smallest thing that shifts the most Do less, more gently Rest is not laziness, it's medicine Do less, more gently You don't need all three hundred sixty-five Do less, more gently Just the ones that help you feel alive (Full band. Strings. Piano. Male hum soars.) (Verse 2 — Female, Whispered) Visualize a blue bubble around you Blue is tranquil, blue is protection Load your worries into a hot-air balloon Watch them rise, watch them disappear soon (Piano. Celesta. Male hum underneath.) Breathe out negative, breathe in positive Squeeze a stone and let it go Become the sky, without limits Dissolve your body, let it flow (Ambient strings. Male hum rises.) (Pre-Chorus — Building) Breathe in seven, out eleven Activate the calm inside Breathe in seven, out eleven Let the nervous system glide (Strings swell. Male hum swells.) (Chorus — Explosive, Soothing) Do less, more gently Find the smallest thing that shifts the most Do less, more gently Rest is not laziness, it's medicine Do less, more gently You don't need all three hundred sixty-five Do less, more gently Just the ones that help you feel alive (Full band. Strings soar. Male hum soars.) (Bridge — Stripped, Spoken Word, Intimate) [Piano only. Voice whispered, quiet. Male hum distant.] Legs up the wall before bedtime. Child's pose when fear arrives. Humming bee breath, eight to twelve. Lion's roar to release the tension. (Pause. Ambient strings enter.) Camomile tea. Tidy your bedroom. Make peace with the world before sleep. Free your muscles, tense and release. Ten deep breaths and let it be. (Pause. Celesta enters. Synth pad swells.) Trust in life's flow. Accept change. Let go of lost opportunities. Visualize the week-old sparrow. (Full band enters softly. Strings. Piano. Male hum soars.) Stop at enough. Be a trustee, not an owner. Avoid news overload. Lie on the ground and gaze at the sky. (Chorus — Massive, Resolved) Do less, more gently Find the smallest thing that shifts the most Do less, more gently Rest is not laziness, it's medicine Do less, more gently You don't need all three hundred sixty-five Do less, more gently Just the ones that help you feel alive (Male hum soars. Harmonies: Do less... more gently...) Build your own toolkit Five to seven techniques that work for you Build your own toolkit And on the days you can't manage any (Full band. Strings soar. Piano. Male hum swells then fades.) (Outro — Stripped, Spoken-Sung, Male Hum Fading) [Piano. Synth pad. Voice whispered, soft.] Just lying in bed Breathing Being kind to yourself Is enough (Male hum: Mm... mm... mm...) Do less, more gently Do less, more gently Do less, more gently (Male hum fades.) Rest is not laziness Rest is medicine You are enough You are enough (Piano holds one final chord. Synth pad fades. Strings fade. Celesta holds one note. Male hum fades. Silence.)
