My Tips for Building a Meditation Practice
Why Meditation?
In a mindfulness meditation practice, you pay attention to your breath as it flows in and out of your body. During this time your mind begins to move from thought to thought. The practice of mediation is being able to acknowledge the thought and let it go, while being able to return to your breath. With practice you are able to return your focus to your breath and build the muscle of mindfulness.
Now, in my experience, meditation will not fix everything in your life that needs repair, but what it can do is very important. The simple act of taking the time to meditate can be powerful itself because it means that you are taking the time to prioritize yourself.
Below are just a handful of the benefits of meditation.
Lowers stress
Improves focus
Reduces negative emotions
Promotes creativity
Regulates nervous system
Tips for Meditation
One of the best things about meditation is that you don’t need a fancy set up to get down to business, but there are a few things you should consider before diving in.
Location
Limiting distractions during meditation is important. Try to find a spot that is calm and relaxing, and away from anything that will pull your attention away from the practice (think inside and outside). Don’t be discouraged if you have to try different spots the first few times you meditate, you’ll find the one that is right for you.
Time
Setting a time limit can help you gradually feel more comfortable meditating. In the beginning you may want to try a five to ten minute practice. If that feels too long for you, you can always start with two minutes and work your way up.
Set a Reminder
Sometimes setting a reminder is the easiest way to start implementing a new habit. Create a reminder that works best for you whether that be on your phone, an alarm, or a written reminder on the refrigerator. One way that I like to be reminded is on my Apple Watch. By using this guide, you can get your reminder(s) set up in a breeze.
Choose Your Adventure
There are so many different styles of meditation, where do you begin? If sitting in silence for ten minutes seems intimidating to you, begin by using a guided meditation. You can find these all over the internet or even download an app. If you are looking on the internet try YouTube or Mindful.org. If you’re wanting to see what apps have to offer some popular options are Calm, Headspace, and Simple Habit. My personal favorite is Simple Habit. There is a lot of free content, you can choose different instructors, and you can even pair it with your Apple Watch to send you a reminder to meditate.
Try, Try Again
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. As with building any new skill, meditation can be challenging. Be kind to yourself in your learnings and make sure that during your meditation practice you come back to your breath. You don’t need to worry about the content of your thoughts, just breathe through them and let them go. That’s the both the beauty and challenge of meditation.