Recently, I have discovered a newfound love for meditation. I have toyed with the idea of it for a while, and have tried it a few times in the past, though I have never truly incorporated it into my daily routine. Like many, I struggle with severe anxiety and it can be easily amplified by little inconveniences throughout the day. I definitely consider myself an empath and an overthinker as well, so it’s safe to say that I have a lot of feelings and a lot of clutter going on in my head. I have tried to find ways to combat my anxiousness and overthinking, and one of the tools that I find really effective is meditation.
I think a lot of people get scared of the word ‘meditation’ because they feel that there is some pressure to have life-changing experiences, or that it needs to be done a specific way. To me, meditation simply means taking around 5 minutes out of my busy days, and sit in silence and focus on nothing else other than my breathing. How do I do this? I like to start off by setting the tone in my room, putting on an essential oil diffuser or some candles, and if there is a lot of background noise I will use my headphones. I like to find a comfy spot to sit, usually on my bed with my back against the wall. I use an app called headspace, and I think it is amazing. It’s a free guided meditation app, where you can choose from 5-15 minute sessions. This app is a great way to get started with meditation if you don’t know where to start.
I have noticed a lot of improvement with my mental health by practicing meditation. Although it is more of a temporary fix, I find it boosts my overall mood for the rest of the day having those few minutes to myself. It’s really refreshing to sit in solitude and not worry about all of the hustle and bustle in life, and it has helped me gain skills in order to combat constant overthinking. Meditation is also really great if you have trouble with going to sleep at night, I would choose a longer session, lay in bed, and let the focus on your breathing calm your mind.
This part is definitely optional, but I like to incorporate other elements into my meditations including crystals. A lot of people think it is silly, but there is something about holding a specific crystal and focusing on the energy of it, rather than worrying about what is going on around you. I wouldn’t say using crystals has been groundbreaking for me, but it is something that works for me in my meditations and might work for you too. So, if you can put aside even 5 minutes in your busy day, you can give meditation a try! If you are anything like me, it can be hard to hold the weight of the pressures in life on your shoulders every day. I spend too much time of my life stressing about what other people think about me, how I’m doing in school, or if I should be doing more with my life. I truly think that taking those few minutes to yourself every day can be extremely powerful.