"I will get there, but right now I am here, and here is wonderful."
Hey there, lovely souls! Life can get pretty hectic, right? Between juggling work, social commitments, and everything in between, it can feel like finding a moment of peace is an elusive dream. But fear not! I'm here to guide you on a journey towards serenity through the beautiful practice of meditation. In this post, we're going to explore the transformative power of meditation and how you can incorporate it into your busy life, even if you have just 10 minutes to spare. So, grab a cozy spot, take a deep breath, and let's embark on this adventure together, one calming breath at a time. It's time to reclaim your inner calm and discover the magic of meditation. Let's dive in!
First off, I want to begin with a common misconception about meditation, but let me preface that with a story. I began meditating about 4 years ago, and since then it has become engrained in me as a daily practice. Some days I may meditate for 20 minutes, and on others I simply sit for only 5-10, but needless to say, my soul craves the solace daily. I rave about the benefits to all my friends and family, and I remember telling my aunt to try meditating, and she simply replied with "I don't know how, and I cannot sit still for 10 minutes." Which I've learned, is many people's concern.
While the traditional route of meditating is what most think of - sitting down, cross legged, in silence or with some background white noise, let me be the first to say this is not the only form of meditation.
So what exactly is meditation?
Meditation is the act of actively utilizing your presence to connect within yourself. We may interact with multiple people on a daily basis, and all of those people contain energy within themselves. We often don't realize we carry that energy with us throughout the day. For example, at work, you may have an angry client call you, and that conversation may strike a cord in you, upset you, and suddenly you find the rest of the day you have a dark cloud over you. So how can you change that dark cloud to a rainbow? Well, you have to have that within yourself to be able to change that.
Often, meditation is utilized best (in my own opinion) in the morning, before the day begins, to set your intention. By setting your intention for the day, allowing God, and the Universe to know the energy you wish to put forth and bring in for the day - you are essentially working with the Law of Attraction. Call it mystic, call it unbelievable, but I'm explaining how meditation has increasingly made my life better, and not just mine, but statistics prove it as well!
Meditation Statistics
According to a 2017 U.S. survey, the percentage of adults who practiced some form of mantra-based meditation, mindfulness meditation, or spiritual meditation in the previous 12 months tripled between 2012 and 2017, from 4.1 percent to 14.2 percent | source
Among those responders who practiced mindfulness meditation exclusively, 73 percent reported that they meditated for their general wellness and to prevent diseases, and most of them (approximately 92 percent) reported that they meditated to relax or reduce stress | source
Research on Meditation has found it to reduce the following: reduced rumination, stress reduction, boosts working memory, focus, less emotional reactivity, more cognitive flexibility, relationship satisfaction, amongst more | source
How do I begin meditating?
Well, you simply just...start! Now, I know that seems like a simple answer, but it's truly as simple as that, you incorporate it as part of your routine. In my last blog post, I discussed briefly "habit stacking" and often times, that is the best way to begin your meditation journey.
Let's discuss my personal meditation routine. In the morning, I dedicate a half hour to my daily mindfulness routine. For me, I'd rather go to sleep at night a bit earlier, to wake up early and begin my day off on the right foot. So by allowing myself 30 minutes, my day is set up for success.
6:30 AM: Rise and shine! Typically I take about 5 minutes in bed, before rising to make my beloved cup of morning coffee, with lemon water as my side.
6:45 AM: 10 Minute Meditation. Below this section, I will have links to my favorite meditation platforms (and by no means am I sponsored or affiliated with them, I just happen to love them). Dependent on the mood I woke up in, I will typically browse for a meditation fitting to my mood, and what I most resonate with, and go from there.
6:55 AM: Gratitude journaling. I adore the 5 Minute Gratitude Journal. I've used mine, and reordered for the past two years, and it's a simple way to jot down your thankfulness towards the life you live, amongst affirmations. I also close each evening with wrapping up the 5 Minute Journal, and it's a nice segue into my evening.
With that simple 30 minutes, my day has been set. I have centered myself into my own energy, tapped into my intention for the day, and curated space for positivity to find me throughout my day. I feel rested, concentrated, and grounded.
If you're new to meditating, I often recommend beginning by waking up and meditating in bed. You do not need a grand rising routine, to achieve the same goal of mindfulness. Heck, listen to a meditation while you brew your coffee and just tap into your energy. Your journey is personal, and you get to decide how to navigate it.
Meditation Recommendations & Resources
CHANI Astrology: CHANI is an app I live and breathe by (and I also pay a yearly membership for, so this is not sponsored at all, just a very beloved app). The meditations are truly magical. I find that the CHANI meditations are my favorite to begin my morning - short, and you pick by your mood. They have suggestions, but often I'll scroll through, and depending on how I'm feeling, or what I'm craving, is what I gravitate towards. If you're an astrology girly, you'll appreciate the astrology aspect of it - aesthetic and simple facts, but a load of information.
Insight Timer: Another beloved meditation app. Often I'll use this app to find a longer hypnotic meditation to fall asleep to. When I'm traveling, I often find a flight meditation and doze off to that as well. I find Insight Timer to be the best at longer, and deeper meditations.
Additionally, I find that pairing some inspirational reads is a wonderful way to incorporate love and affirmations into your day. A few of my favorites to kick off your morning are...
In closing, I hope the takeaway of this post is to realize how valuable your time is. Your time is simply the one thing you cannot take back, and spending it wisely, and valuing it, you honor yourself. So an extra 30 minutes of mindfulness is nothing in time, compared to your inner peace.
Until next time,
