Benefits
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Stress Relief
Meditation has been proven to help lower blood pressure and anxiety. If you’re anything like me, you are perpetually a little stressed. We can do a lot of things to try and distract from the stress but meditation helps us approach it and tackle the feeling head-on. Additionally, if your body and/or mind has gone through any trauma, meditation can allow you to heal yourself.
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Focus and Concentration
Our minds are often racing with the millions of things we need to do. Practicing meditation not only helps to calm our minds but it also helps us be prepared for busy days. Taking the time to practice concentrating on your breath and focusing your attention inward for even just ten minutes can help you be more productive and purposeful in our day.
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Happiness
Meditation can also increase dopamine in the body which leads to a happier you! There are so many benefits to it that can lead to a better you! We hear the word “self-care” a lot these days as an excuse to buy ourselves expensive candles and take a nap (which is great) but if you are really invested in taking care and improving yourself, meditation can be a very simple and free way to do so.
How to Get Started
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Apps
Apps like Headspace (free!) and Calm can help you to get started. Meditation is obviously very personal and you have to find what works best for you. Guided instruction, stories, or sounds are some auditory tools that may be best for beginners. These apps can also help you meditate for the time you need so you don’t give up or lose your focus.
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Starting Out
My meditation routine is very simple and an easy way to start. All I need to meditate in the morning is some fresh air, sunlight, and ten minutes. I prefer to do it in the morning because it improves my mind for the rest of the day. I like to have a glass of water before I start to refresh and wake me up a bit. I sit at my window and close my eyes in a comfortable, upright position (you can do it laying down as well but I always fall asleep). I take deep breaths and just focus on breathing out any distracting thoughts. If it helps, you can write down your to-do list for the day the night before as a way to de-clutter and organize your mind. For just ten minutes I sit and my window and breath.
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Get Fancy
I have only started to meditate every day and am already noticing many benefits. My method is very basic and there are of course many ways to change or build off of it. If you find you want to continue exploring meditation, there are many more apps, websites, and YouTube videos to use. The key is to keep practicing because it is much more difficult than one might think to clear and calm your mind.