Happy Thursday!
Sooooo, can we talk meditation for a minute?
Now, before you roll your eyes, give a sigh and close this email, give me a chance.
I know that when most people hear the word meditate or meditation, it invokes images of monks, yogis, and hippies talking about opening their third eye and experiencing transformative planes of existence.
I'm not here to dispute any of that.
There is that contingent of people out there, and more power to them.
But for me, meditation is about becoming comfortable in silence.
It's about quieting my mind in a loud and hectic world.
It's about the rhythm of my breathing.
I've been meditating for a few years now, and I used to think I was doing it wrong because my mind would wander or I couldn't hold my body still.
I would start thinking about all the things I had to do that day.
Or the things that went wrong the day(s) before.
But what I've come to realize is that there is no wrong way of meditating.
Everyone's mind is different, so everyone's meditation will be different.
For me, the journey hasn't been about turning my thoughts off.
It's been about accepting them in order to clear them from my mind.
Since I've stopped putting the pressure on myself to meditate the "right way," I've found it much more beneficial and enjoyable.
Sitting in silence and meditating, thinking, or reflecting can benefit anyone who wants to try.
Here are a few tips that may help:
1. Find a place that you can feel as relaxed as possible with minimal light and stimulus.
2. Start small. If you have a really hard time sitting in silence start with 30 seconds or a minute.
3. Go at your own pace. Progress as you see fit, but make sure to progress.
4. Become aware of your body and breathing. How do certain parts of your body feel? Try to visualize the air moving in and out as you breathe. Focusing on these simple things is a great way to stay present and declutter the mind.
5. This isn't a magic elixir. It's a way to center yourself and grow more comfortable in your own skin, but it won't magically solve all your problems. Make sure to keep your expectations in line with this.
So that's all I have for right now. I challenge you to try meditation if you haven't.
And if you need some help strategizing your stress management, make sure to book a call with me so we can discuss how I can help you!
See you next week!
Sean