Hi! Hello! Good morning! How is everyone doing today? Let me guess, you were about to say good, right? That’s because we have auto corrected our brains to say things like great, good, awesome, or anything that sounds robotically “normal”. Nothing that would cause suspicion. But how are you really doing?
I want you to take a second and really think how you are actually doing? How are you feeling?
Right now, I’m feeling a little anxious and stressed not just because there are a few things I need to catch up on, but also because life can be stressful. Living moment to moment and for some at a fasted paced lifestyle can be draining.
What if I were to tell you about a tool you can use anywhere, any time and it’s free? Would you use it?
It’s called meditation. This practice sets the body to spend time with our mind while incorporating other aspects such as guides, breathwork, walking and imagery.
Some of the more popular types of meditation are mindfulness, walking, and loving kindness. Mindfulness involves focusing your attention to the present moment. It can incorporate breathwork mechanisms, imagery or guided instructions to help reduce stress. Walking meditation is exactly what it is – walking. During this wander you are focusing on your breath and how the body feels with each step. This can be done anywhere. Loving Kindness, which is one of my favorite “Go-To’s”, is the act of sending positive energy to yourself and other people through mantras or affirmations. May I be well. May I be happy. May I be at peace.
Meditation can be as easy as laying on your bed, floor or desk and taking a slow 4 second breath in and a 8 second exhale out. If you are still not sure how to meditate, check out Headspace, a mindful app that provides users with easy access tools to help manage stress. They offer a 30 day free trial period with an option of $69.99 for the whole year or only $9.99 annually for students.
Don’t want a commitment? That’s okay. Head on over to YouTube and type in the search bar, easy meditation. You will be provided with hundreds of videos featuring guided meditation or peaceful music. If you want to be specific, type in how long you want to be meditating. I started off with 5 minutes and the progressed to 30.
In a study by Harvard University, medical researchers found meditation can lower depression, combat anxiety, and reduce stress. There are many other benefits like improved sleep, lowered blood pressure and resting heart rate, increased self-awareness, and reducing negative thinking.
Whichever one you choose, make sure it works best for you. That can mean trying it all or trying one. Remember, meditation is one size fits all.