It’s the end of the day. You’ve just gotten home from a long day of classes followed by a grueling workout at the gym, you’re already planning your meal prep for the morning and figuring out how you’re going to fit your weekly readings into tomorrow’s schedule. There’s just one problem: you’re doing so many things that you can hardly focus. It seems like you’re on top of everything – but in reality, your brain is so busy that you’re struggling to take breaks, much less get a good night’s sleep. If you’ve ever been in this situation, it might be time to try meditation!
What is meditation?
If you’ve heard about meditation, it’s easy to pass off as just another wellness trend. Although it sounds like sitting around and doing nothing at first glance – multitaskers, I see you, dreading the concept of doing nothing – it is so much more.
Meditation is the practice of finding mental clarity and training the mind to develop a better sense of awareness. That’s right, meditation is really just allowing ourselves to create the kind of uncluttered headspace that we all want! Just like anything we learn in our lives, meditation takes time to get better at, no matter how simple it seems. It’s all about practice.
How do I meditate?
Meditation sounds intimidating, but there are only a few simple steps to get started. First, find a comfortable space. Maybe you want to sit cross-legged on a yoga mat, but even laying in bed will work just fine. Next, take a few moments to see where your mind is. You may be thinking about your to-do list for the day, feeling anxious about something or feeling relatively calm. No matter how you are, take a moment to notice it and check in with yourself. This is also a good time to close your eyes and make any physical adjustments if you notice that you aren’t in as comfortable a position as you thought!
Next, check in with your breathing; take a few moments to listen to it. Now that you have acknowledged your mental state, you can practice focusing on your breath without the distraction of the thoughts in your head. The goal is to feel present, gradually filtering out all the unnecessary thoughts floating through your mind. This is the starting point for almost all meditation. If you want, you can stay in this phase for the entire time! When you notice your mind begin to wander, simply draw your attention back to your breath. Once you are ready to stop, open your eyes and come back to the world. This may be after as soon as thirty seconds, or as long as several hours if you’re well practiced! Listen to your body and take the time that is right for you.
Leveling up
For those of you who are ready to take it to the next level or are looking for some variety, a great way to add to your practice is using a guided meditation. There are loads of Youtube videos and apps available for this, and all it takes to start is the click of a button. These are especially helpful as you begin a meditation routine, because they keep you on track and remind you to do those self check-ins. My personal favourite resource is the Headspace app!
Another possibility is to meditate with a mantra. A mantra is a phrase or idea that you want to remind yourself of, such as, “I am enough.” This time, rather than exclusively listening to your breathing, you will continue to bring your mind back to this idea. This is super helpful for those of us working on our self-care and self-love, reminding us to treat ourselves with the respect we deserve.
For an extra challenge, try a yoga class alongside your meditation practice! Yoga is a physical way to become better in touch with yourself and is often combined with meditation for a deeper practice.
Is meditation really worth it?
Many of us are skeptical about whether meditation is really worth the time it takes. For those of us who have a busy schedule, adding even one more thing into it can seem daunting. I promise you; it is so worth it.
Mindfulness creates a shift in attitude in not only the world, but in ourselves. Especially for us perfectionists, it can be easy to fall into the traps of black-and-white thinking and the feeling that we aren’t good enough because we aren’t a literal Superwoman. Meditation trains our brains to see multiple perspectives, find a sense of calm and accept ourselves as we are. These are some of the most critical qualities overachievers need to thrive, because without them it is so easy to overwork ourselves and burn out. Meditation and other mindfulness practices are such important parts of self-care.
From a scientific perspective, meditation has been proven to make our amygdala – the part of the brain that processes fear, anxiety and stress – smaller. Meditation literally re-wires our brains to stress less, which we can all agree is needed! Remember, all that meditation takes is a couple minutes out of your day. Most of us spend several hours mindlessly scrolling through social media (if you don’t believe me, your Apple screen time report will probably call you out), so we can certainly spare a few minutes to do something positive for our mental health.
Practice makes… better?
The most important thing to remember about meditation – especially for all of you perfectionists out there – is that meditation is a practice. No right answers, no perfect score and no definitive end goal. It is completely natural for your mind to wander during your meditation. All that matters is that we notice what happens without judgment, accept ourselves as we are and remember that we will continue to improve over time through our practice. If anything, meditation becomes a little more fun knowing that it will never be perfect. We will never stop having room to grow!
Next time you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, simply take a pause, breathe and listen. By treating ourselves with kindness and compassion through the practice of meditation, we can all begin to clear our minds and live better lives.