If you know me personally, I have probably tried to convince you to meditate (sorry about that… but it really is SO good).
The main reasons I hear as to why people don’t meditate, are either:
– “I don’t know how”
– “I don’t have time”
– “I can’t do it ’cause my mind doesn’t stop!!!'”
– “Don’t really believe in it”
All four of these reasons are the best reasons as to why you SHOULD do it!!!
Just shot yourself in the foot there, didn’t you?!!!
So to answer the first reason of, “I don’t know how”
Here’s how…
1. Download this app from the app store, “Mindfulness”. It might cost a couple of bucks (can’t remember).
2. Get a pillow off your bed to sit on.
3. Take your phone and your pillow, and go into a quiet room (bedroom or your office, for example), and close the door (if people are home, kindly tell them to leave you alone for 3 minutes). Ensure the temperature is comfortable.
4. Put the pillow on the floor and sit on it (this is where I do mine. In my bedroom, with a pillow off my bed).
5. Sit comfortably and start the app. I recommend you start with “Guided Meditations”, and then select “3 minutes”.
6. Do this every day, until you feel comfortable enough to increase it to 5 minutes. And then 15 minutes (and so on and so forth).
Your mind is going to wander off all the time, and you are probably going to feel agitated and fidgety, at first. This is normal, and this is where the growing happens. After some time (days, weeks, months) you will learn to sit with this feeling, and be ok with it.
The second reason, “I don’t have time”
You need 3 minutes to start with! If you spend time checking your social media, or reading blogs, then you have time to sit and meditate for 3 minutes.
The third reason, “I can’t do it ’cause my mind doesn’t stop”
Yep… my mind doesn’t really stop either, which is why I started meditating in the first place.
For me, the main benefit I have gained, is the ability to watch my mind. Take notice of it… what’s it thinking about? Be curious. Be kind. Just watch it without judgement. And you will learn, that when it does wander off and start thinking about something that someone said last week that pissed you off, you will learn to gently bring it back and focus on your breathe. Like the waves of the ocean, that drift in, then drift out again.
(The Mindfulness app I mentioned above will help you to do this).
I meditate for at least 20 minutes per day, and have been doing so for around 2 years now. Even now, my mind still wanders off. And that’s ok 🙂 I just gently bring it back and focus on my breathing, or my mantra (I will talk about mantras in another blog).
And the fourth and final reason I hear, “Don’t really believe in it”
I have found a website that lists 76 reasons why you should meditate:
http://liveanddare.com/benefits-of-meditation/
And, here are just 7 ways meditation has helped me:
– My anxiety has significantly reduced to the point where I could come off my medication (I will discuss this in another blog)
– I can now sleep at night (I suffered TERRIBLE insomnia last year, which also lead me to needing medication)
– I have a deeper sense of self-love and self-care
– I have a greater awareness of my mind, and now realise that I am detached from my thoughts, and they do not control me as much
– I am happier within my mind
– I handle stressful situations better
– My relationship with my husband is better
I could probably sit here all day and list other ways it has helped me (instead, just refer to the website link… that should hopefully convince you!)
So, there you have it! You really have no reason to not meditate now. Sorry…
You will thank me later 😉
Erin xoxo