Meditation May Be the Best Thing I Have Done...

I have read the articles about meditation - it changes your brain, all the most successful people do it, and how anyone can do it. It always floated in and out of my awareness but as someone who isn’t a fan of sitting still even while on a relaxing vacation, I hadn’t really considered it for me. Who wants to just sit still for 3, 5, or 10 minutes doing nothing?

Then 2020 came with all of its challenges. I was already using the Calm app specifically for the Sleep Stories. Some nights, I have trouble turning on my mind and found that the Calm app really helped distract me from those circling thoughts and I would much more rapidly drop into sleep. One day, I decided to dive into the meditation section of the app to try something new.

I started small with just 3 minutes of trying to sit still, listen to the guided meditation, and try to hush the swirling of my thoughts. The first few times were more challenging than I expected as I suddenly became hyper aware of a bird outside, cars driving by, an itch on my leg, and countless other “disturbances”. Gradually, after many times practicing daily for 3 minutes, I started trying 5 minutes, then 10 minutes a session. The more regularly I practiced, the faster I could get comfortable and turn inward, quiet the thoughts, let the observations float by, and focus more on breathing and the voice in my ears guiding me.

I now practice daily for about 10 minutes and while I haven’t measured my brain in any way, I have definitely felt a difference. I am frequently more calm in scenarios or conversations that used to be upsetting. My general attitude has improved in terms of being more open minded and relaxed overall with more patience for others. I would say I even experience a greater sense of empathy because instead of jumping to a snap judgement, I feel a bit more detached and able to see through any annoyance to consider what is feeding into a scenario.

So if you have been debating starting a meditation practice - DO IT! You will not regret it. Find a way to begin practicing, whether via an app, YouTube, or just sitting quietly - whatever works for you. Be gentle with yourself as you work on your practice because it will take time and effort to improve and reach your goal.

Cheers, Heather :)